Police today appealed for help to solve the mystery behind reports of a young boy having fallen into a Bingley lake.

The scare sparked a major underwater search, pictured. But Inspector David Drucquer said: "We've carried out a thorough search and are satisfied there's nobody in the pond."

Officers from the police Underwater Search Team spent almost two hours yesterday carrying out an inch-by-inch search of a large section of Coppice Pond on the St Ives Estate.

The drama started the previous evening when a fisherman contacted the emergency services to say he had seen a boy of about eight on a boat. But when he had looked up again, after hearing a splash, the youngster had gone. Police now believe the boy - who they are calling on to come forward - may have fallen into the water but then dragged himself out. Insp Drucquer added: "We'd had no reports of a missing boy."