The family of a young boy who has been abducted by his mother have received a boost in their efforts to be reunited.

A judge in Poland, where a court has given legal custody to Max Bagnall’s father, has demanded to speak to the maternal grandparents to try to trace the pair.

Max Bagnall, eight, from Rochester, has been missing for six months after he was taken away by his mother, Jolanta Majda, in her home country.

He has not seen his father Alex for over a year despite frantic efforts to trace him.

The case was even raised with then Prime Minister David Cameron by Rochester MP Kelly Tolhurst at Prime Minister’s Questions earlier this year but there has been little progress, until now.

Police have applied for a European warrant for the arrest of Ms Majda, after they agreed there was enough evidence to charge the 31-year-old with abduction.

Both the police and the CPS have also been in contact with their Polish counterparts to discuss extraditing her once she is found.

The schoolboy, a pupil of St Mary’s Island primary school, has not been seen since March, after a Polish court ruled he should be returned to his father. Ms Majda then took him out of school and fled after the court’s decision.

Max has also been made a ward of court in the UK and, through their Polish solicitor, his family have received a copy of a letter, signed by Ms Majda and hand-delivered by her parents to Max’s school which states he is suffering from a chronic illness and has to stay at home.

Now a Polish criminal court judge has asked for an investigation to take place and for police to speak to Ms Majda’s parents, and any other witnesses, in order to find her and Max.

Max’s grandmother Pam McHale Bagnall, said: “We think this is a positive step as the criminal court will exercise their powers with all parties who support what is now more akin to kidnapping than abduction.

“But our appointment with the Foreign and Commonwealth office last week left us more desolate than ever. Remarkably it seems that the government can do very little to help a vulnerable child in this situation.

"We have asked for resources on the ground in Poland to ensure that the Polish Police perform a proper search for Max.

“It’s clear to us that the Polish Police are doing the minimum to recover him, and both Kent Police and the National Crime Agency has limited influence over them.

“We really do need the help of Polish people here in the UK and in Poland to find Max. The situation has become critical in terms of his safety.”

If you can help, contact police on 01622 690690 quoting crime reference XY/30448/15.