A Wye Valley teenager who went missing for six days after meeting with buddies he met through internet chat rooms, has returned home safe and well.

Darren Freeman, aged 15, from Redbrook, sparked a major police search after he was reported missing last Tuesday.

It is believed that he befriended a 17-year-old youth and a 21-year-old man, whom he met on the internet.

Gwent Police said Darren had stayed in Pontypool during the five days he was away.

Officers were to interview him and piece together what happened during the time the Coleg Gwent student was missing.

Police said at a press conference that he had been dropped off at his home on Sunday at around 8pm by the two young men, who were now helping police with their inquires.

Supt Jon Burley, of Gwent Police, said: "This we describe as a near miss. It could have been a lot worse.

"Supt Burley said it was believed Darren had put personal details online, such as his home telephone number and possibly his address.

He then arranged to meet the people he had chatted to without telling his parents. Foster mum Lynne Freeman said: "He always asked to go on the internet and I was always aware he was on.

"The computer was in a bedroom where we could walk in at any time, and we gave a two-hour limit.

"It was only in the last three months that he would go on the internet - when we got AOL. Supt Burley warned parents: "It may not be possible to constantly monitor what your children are doing on the internet.

"The advice I would give to my children is do not give out personal information...and never arrange to meet somebody without being chaperoned, because you may not be meeting the person you think."

Foster father Dennis Freeman said: "It's obviously been very emotional. Big hugs for my wife and I as was expected, but he could not understand what all the fuss was about.

"I don't think police are looking for anybody else. He was in company but there was not anything detrimental in that."