Boys found fast asleep in a ditch

The scare started at 7pm on Friday when the two boys, who lived three doors apart, left their Legahory Court homes.

One of the boy’s mother said: “I thought they were playing behind the houses but when there was no sign of them half an hour later, I began to panic.”

Police were called in and at the height of the search 100 neighbours, 25 police, 30 soldiers and countless others were combing the whole of Craigavon.

The army called in a helicopter with a searchlight and covered as much of the new city area as possible.

Then at 2am the boys were found safe and well in a ditch beside the AA box at the main Tullygally roundabout.

One of the boys told how they saw the big boats and visited the shops.