A panic was caused after a girl was heard screaming and shouting in a people carrier in Crawley.

Police launched an appeal to find the two children, a woman and man in the vehicle following the incident Saturday evening shortly after half-past eight.

The driver of the vehicle from Horley came forward and explained the children were his daughter and a friend – they were shouting at people they headed along the High Street towards ASDA.

Police applaud the witnesses for raising the alarm as there was no way of knowing whether it was a serious incident or not.