A 4-year-old boy who sparked a search and rescue callout near Cannibal Bay yesterday morning was found safe at home, after walking a demanding 7km in an hour and 45 minutes.
Constable Murray Hewitson, of Owaka, said Hayden Gordon disappeared about 10am from a paddock where he was with his father Rob, who was fencing.
The paddock in which they were working was not big.
Mr Gordon took his eyes off his son "for a matter of seconds" and he was gone, Const Hewitson said.
"He [Mr Gordon] walked up and down the track a few times looking for him, then got the neighbour involved."
Police were alerted at 10.30am and called in Catlins search and rescue volunteers.
"Just as the SAR volunteers assembled to go and start searching for him, he turned up at home," Const Hewitson said.
Hayden had walked about 7km over a steep hill in the hour and 45 minutes he was missing - which was not a bad effort for a little boy, Const Hewitson said.
