POLICE have launched a manhunt after an eight-year-old boy claimed he was kidnapped outside his Brighton school.

The boy, found crying in a nearby park yesterday, told police he had been forced to go with a man who put a hand over his mouth to stop him screaming.

Police said the boy had earlier argued with his mother which may have made him run away but, after interviewing him at a police victim suite, they said they were treating his account seriously.

They said they had issued an alert to all schools in Brighton and Hove.

The boy told detectives he had been grabbed outside Patcham Junior School just after being dropped off by his mother yesterday morning.

A man approached, put a hand over his mouth, and forced him along several streets to Withdean Park.

Just after arriving the kidnapper spotted a police patrol car passing by and fled.

Awoman came across the distressed child and called the police, and a second woman who recognised him took him to his home.

Two specially-trained detectives from the Brighton police Child Protection Team later interviewed him at a victim suite.

Det Sgt Nav Riaz said: "The boy was very distressed but thankfully unharmed. He is a brave little lad and was able to give us a description of the offender, and he showed us where he was taken into the park.

"We are treating the incident seriously. There must have been lots of parents and children in the area at the time and we are anxious to talk to anyone who saw anything suspicious."

He said police had triggered the "Cascade" system to alert all schools, children and parents in the Brighton and Hove area.

Patcham head teacher Richard Sutton-Smith was in touch with police and the boy's family during the day.

The man police are looking for is in his forties, has spots or freckles, a grey beard with grey curly hair down to his ears, and wore brown clothes and black calf-length boots with buckles.

Anyone with information should contact the Child Protection Team on 0845 60 70 999.

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