THE Wiltshire police helicopter and a dog search team from police headquarters were alerted on Sunday night after a 13-year-old girl went missing from near Devizes.
The girl's parents rang the police after her father found the teenager's bike lying abandoned at Cheverell Wood.
He had last seen her at 8pm but was concerned about her and was greatly alarmed when he found the bike. The police were informed of the girl's absence shortly before 9.30pm and immediately launched the search.
The helicopter combed the area using the thermal imaging camera while, on the ground, a dog handler and his animal attempted to follow a scent.
Attempts were made to contact the girl on her mobile phone, but it was apparently switched off.
Finally, she was found safe and well, shortly before 10.30pm, at an address in Devizes and the search was called off.
The parents of the girl did not want to speak to the press, but expressed their gratitude to the emergency services for their swift response.
Inspector Pete Bowerbank of Devizes police said: "We are relieved that this incident ended happily. There is always a concern when children go off on their own and the search and rescue system seems to have worked very well."
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