Police were called to investigate reports a child was snatched from a shopping centre today.

A shopper raised concerns after seeing a little girl crying and calling for her mother in Fremlin Walk, Maidstone at about 2.35pm. The witness said she saw a woman grab the girl's hand and lead her away.

This sparked an alert and police carried out a search of the town centre for the woman and the child but neither were found.

No one has reported a child missing.