It was wonderful news that a six year-old girl suspected of being abducted was found safe and well.

Too often when a child goes missing the consequences are horrific.

The case of Summer Haipule fitted all the criteria for a major emergency, with a detailed description of how the missing child had been bundled into an old car near her home in Moulsecoomb, Brighton.

But concern turned to relief when she was found at a neighbour's house oblivious to the panic her disappearance had caused.

There are serious questions still to be answered about how it was possible for Summer to be so close at hand for so long without anyone discovering her.

Sussex Police also need to have a fresh look at their scheme for alerting the public immediately a child is suspected of having been abducted.

The first stage of the Child Rescue Alert network being pioneered by Sussex Police worked, when television and radio programmes were quickly interrupted. But the second stage of giving details to mobile phone users did not.

Happily, in the case of Summer nothing was lost by this technological failure. But in another case it might make all the difference and it must be put right.