The families of three Witham boys who sparked a £40,000 police search are celebrating their return.

Nine-year-old Ben Wilson and brothers Rhys and Drew Hennebry, aged 10 and 12, were reported missing on Saturday night but found on Monday morning.

Some 100 police officers - involving a police helicopter, dog units, a marine unit, and specialist search teams - were involved in the 36 hour operation.

It is understood the cost of the search approaches £40,000.

The hunt began on Saturday when police were alerted at 9.45pm to the disappearance of Ben Wilson, after he failed to return home that night.

He is now in the care of his grandmother, Dorothy Fontaine, 63, after police returned him to her on Monday night.

After seeing him she said: "I just grabbed hold of him and kissed him.

"I can't really describe what it was like while he was missing.

"It was like someone had ripped out a part of me.

"I asked the police how long they expected to find him and they said hoped to get him back within 36 hours.

"Ben had been missing for nearly that time already, so I was really worried.

"I asked Ben why he did it.

"He said he just wanted to be with his mates.

"I'm not going to be cross with him. I believe in sitting children down and discussing things with them."

According to Mrs Fontaine, Ben had left his home in Philip Road at 9am, where he lives with his father Robert, 42 and brother, also called Robert, 12.

Ben had made plans to meet his father and grandmother at 4pm on Saturday at the Bramston Sports Centre where he was due to have karate lessons.

Although described as a "streetwise kid" police said it was out of character for him to stay out all night.

Officers later tracked his movements to the home of Rhys Hennebry, a friend of Ben's from Powers Hall Junior School, Witham, and Drew Hennebry.

Sarah White, a neighbour of the Hennebrys, said: "We're all just so pleased that they're safe."

After spending the night at the Hennebry's house in Speedwell Close, the three boys said they were going swimming.

Instead they went to Colchester to stay with the Hennebry's grandmother on Sunday night.

On Monday the grandmother phoned the police but before officers arrived the boys had gone out again.

The boys were eventually picked up by police in the Balkerne Hill area of Colchester on Monday at 11am.

They were spotted by CCTV in the Timber Hill area of the town at 9.30am.

Det Chief Insp Grahame Bird, who ran the investigation, said that the cost to Essex Police was immaterial.

He said that he was "just pleased to find the boys safe and well."

All the boys were back at lessons in school on Tuesday.

Published Tuesday February 8, 2005

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