THE public have been praised for all their efforts following the relief that a missing teen has been found after days of no contact.

Leven Sopwith-Nicholson, 14, from Ulverston, was reported missing by his family on Saturday night before he returned to them yesterday.

A spokesman for a Facebook group set up to help find him said: "We really need to thank everyone for their efforts.

"Three days in these conditions is a long time and today was particularly tough on his family.

"They have remained positive but this is the best possible outcome.

"It is time for them to be together in private now.

"The running and walking community have been amazing and the support nationwide has blown us away. The only thing that matters is he is home."

Posters were distributed across the Lake District and Yorkshire Fells in a bid to find Leven. over the past few days.

Leven’s mum Fiona Sopwith said she was living every family’s ‘worst nightmare’ – and was desperately appealing for her son to come home.

Leven went missing after the family attended Ulverston Lantern Festival on Saturday together.

“We all watched the fireworks together," Mrs Sopwith said before Leven was found.

“Afterwards, Leven didn’t want to hang around and told us he was going home and don’t wake him up which wasn’t unusual for him to say because he likes an early night.

“This was around 9.30pm or 10pm. We decided to go home around 11ish and didn’t go into his room because you don’t normally go into a teenager’s room – Leven didn’t like that.

“We wanted to make sure he was there because we had been worried about him.

“When we went upstairs he wasn’t in bed and his rucksack was gone. My husband went to the allotment and he wasn’t there either, so we called the police.

“At first I thought he’d be warm and dry and knows the fells but I couldn’t understand why he had left so late at night.

“I think he knew if he had asked us to go, we would have said no so decided to go and have an adventure.

“The first night was horrible but I thought he would be back the next day ready for school because he doesn’t like missing school."

A spokesman for Cumbria Constabulary said: "We can confirm Leven has been found safe and well, thank you to those that shared the appeal."