Kyle Hall, from Smethwick, near Birmingham, has been found safe and well

A 10-year-old boy whose disappearance sparked a major police operation involving specialist search teams and a force helicopter has been found safe and well.

Kyle Hall, from Smethwick, near Birmingham, was found in the local area at lunchtime today, around 13 hours after being reported missing by his mother.

West Midlands Police had issued an urgent appeal to trace the 10-year-old, who had not been seen since yesterday afternoon after leaving his home to go out to play.

Officers from across the West Midlands were drafted in last night to help with the search for Kyle, to conduct house-to-house inquiries, and to contact the boy's friends and relatives.

Search teams also scoured open land supported by the force helicopter while other officers trawled through hours of CCTV footage.