Child Rescue Alert was originally launched by Sussex Police in November 2002 as a ground-breaking initiative to save abducted children from being murdered.

The scheme works by interrupting television and radio programmes with immediate news flashes that a youngster has been snatched and is at risk of serious harm or death.

By joining with the media, police forces are able to spread the message to a vast cross-section of the public within moments, asking them to keep their eyes and ears open and to call 999 if they have crucial information.

Child Rescue Alert was launched across every force in England and Wales on 27 March 2006.

Where is the scheme from?

The scheme is based on an American concept called Amber Alert, which was introduced in Texas in 1996 following the kidnapping and murder of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman. This has now been credited with saving at least 69 children.