Social media was buzzing with reports that a three-year-old child had been kidnapped from Asda in Gravesend - but it is not true.

A status on Facebook was shared nearly 1,500 times purporting that the young boy had been taken from the Thames Way supermarket.

Included was a picture of the boy and a description of what he was wearing.

Soon Twitter was awash with the appeal asking people to look for him.

It was also claimed that police had put out "an amber alert out for him all over the country".

Kent Police confirmed today that whilst officers were called to the supermarket to reports of concern for a child, they were not investigating.

A spokesman said: "This is a private family matter and we are not currently investigating any criminal offences or missing person enquiries."