A couple in Dover are appealing to find a man who dialed 999 when he discovered their 23-month-old son in the street.

Graham and Emma Smith, of Clarendon Place, are keen to thank the man as well as see if he can help them piece together what happened.

Harley-Jai, who will turn two in July, is thought to have escaped from his home on Friday at about 5pm.

He had been in the garden with his dad while his mum took some time out on the sofa as she had been up with him all night.

It was when Mr Smith went to the toilet that Harley-Jai disappeared.

Mrs Smith said: “I woke up to find the front door wide open.”

She shouted out to her husband before phoning the police. Mr Smith rushed out to look for him while Mrs Smith remained at home on the phone.

The toddler was found in the next street, on the corner of Westbury Road. He was with police.

Another man was with the police but did not hang around.

The couple are also keen to speak to this man, who is not the same person who phoned the police.

Mrs Smith said: “What was minutes seemed like hours. We’d just like to establish what exactly happened and find out if our son was distressed.”

Mr Smith said: “We’d just like them to come forward and help us.”

A spokesman said: “Police were called at 5.45pm on June 12 to a report that a child had been found. Officers attended and shortly afterwards the child was reunited with its family.”

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