GAZETTE & HERALD: TWO little girls, aged ten and eight, who went missing for nearly two hours on Saturday sparked a full scale police search.

The girls had been cycling at the front of their houses in Chippenham after one of them was given a new bicycle for Christmas.

But their parents reported them missing at 2.30pm when they hadn't been seen for an hour.

The two youngsters rode from the Causeway end of London Road to Hungerdown Lane and back again.

PC Tim Swinburn of Chippenham police found them walking up Timber Street at 3pm.

"It was dark and cold so all police resources were mobilised and the helicopter was sent out," he said.

He said the girls' age was not the only reason for the quick reaction.

"One of them has learning difficulties and is blind in one eye,'' he said.

"On the grading system of how vulnerable people are they were a one, which is the highest risk level in regard to missing people.

"They were very remorseful when I found them.

"When I first saw the mums they weren't far off hysterical but it went to the other end of the spectrum when we got back.

"They were over the moon and they said I had made their new year."