Jimmy Church. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
A nine-year-old boy has been found after a co-ordinated search overnight.
Jimmy Church was found safe and well around five kilometres from his home near Pahīatua in a rural part of Tararua Distict.
An amber alert had been issued around midnight, and Search and Rescue located the boy at 4am.
He went missing while walking his family's dog in Tararua District on Friday afternoon.
The search is focused around the remote Pahīatua-Pongaroa Road.
Police had issued an amber alert, which means the child is missing and believed to be at immediate risk of harm.
They said Jimmy left home to go walking with the family's black and white dog at about 3pm.
"He has not been seen or heard from since. This is considered out of character and is causing concern."
Jimmy is about 1.5 metres tall, has dark eyes and black hair, is of European descent, and is of slim build. It's not known what he was wearing when he left the house.
"We are urging the public to come forward with any information they may have regarding his whereabouts," police said.
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