A missing mum and her three children have been located ‘safe and well’.

A PSNI officer spotted the 41-year-old woman in the forecourt of a petrol station in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.

All four are reported to be ‘safe and well’.

The mother was detained under the mental health act.

The three missing children; aged 8, 6 and two years, were the subject of a Children Rescue Ireland (CRI) alert issued at 3.30am this morning.

They were last seen in the company of their mother outside a school in Co Roscommon yesterday afternoon.

As a result of the alert, details regarding the description of the woman, her three children and the car in which they were travelling were distributed on road message boards across the country, all news outlets and social media.

The family were located at approximately 8.30am this morning and the alert was stood down.

Neighbours of the mother have described her a “as a quiet woman who kept to herself”.

“She was very quiet, you wouldn't see her much in the village. They moved here about three years ago but she kept very much to herself.”

The family first moved to the Co Roscommon village close to three years ago and the older children had settled well into the school where they were well liked.

A garda statement said: Gardai wish to thank the public and the media for their assistance during this C.R.I. Alert.

“We also wish to thank and acknowledge cooperation received from the Police Service of Northern Ireland during this investigation.”

Irish Independent