Police are urging a dad believed to be with his four-year-old son to make contact after thousand shared images of the missing boy online.
The image of the boy last seen in the Rowlands Gill area of Gateshead was widely shared across the country on Facebook on Sunday, reports Chronicle Live.
Police have since stressed the boy 'is not believed to be in any immediate danger' and believe he is in the company of his dad.
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But Northumbria Police are urging the dad to come forward to "ensure they are safe and well".
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “We are aware of reports circulating on social media about a four-year-old boy who was reported missing in Gateshead.
“We can confirm we are searching for a missing child but believe he is in the company of his father who is also missing, we urge the father to contact police.
“It is not believed that the child or his father are in any immediate danger but we do need to speak to them both to ensure they are safe and well. Officers are supporting the wider family."
The spokesperson added: "“Please be careful about sharing false information on social media but if you do have genuine information then contact police online or by calling 101 quoting NP-20210704-0851.”
Concern was sparked on Sunday night and the post was shared by tens of thousands of people hoping to help find the boy.
