Two teenage girls have been arrested on suspicion of abducting a toddler in Newcastle city centre in the UK.

The three-year-old girl went missing from the Primark store on Northumberland Street at 4.55pm on Wednesday.

A major search was launched, with officers scouring CCTV belonging to the council and local shops.

Police found the girl over an hour later several miles away in Gosforth.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "It was quickly established that she had left the store with two teenage girls who she did not know".

The suspects are aged 13 and 14.

The toddler was "quickly reunited with her mother" after the incident.

Chief Inspector Dave Gould said: "This has been an incredibly distressing time for the girl's family and specialist officers are working with and supporting the family".

"We mobilised all available local police resources to make sure the girl was found as quickly as possible and also included assistance from the public, and many of our partner agencies including Newcastle local authority and university as well as staff from retail premises, bus companies, train station and metro system".

"I would like to thank all of those involved for their help in finding this little girl and helping reunite her with her mother".