TWO young sisters who went missing overnight have been found and are safe.

Liana Boyd, 11, and her eight-year-old sister Teigan Boyd were last seen in Whitworth Park near their home in Manchester at 8pm yesterday.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) launched a search for the youngsters after their "fraught" family reported them missing.

Shortly before midday today, the force confirmed the girls were safe.

A spokesman said: "Liana Boyd, 11, and eight-year-old Teigan Boyd have been found and are safe."

GMP has not said where the two girls spent the night.

They live with their parents just a few hundred yards from the entrance to the park.

It is understood they were playing near the park gates where they could be seen by adults at the house.

Neighbours in the road, mainly occupied by students, described them as happy little girls who loved to play.

Lisa Murgatroyd, 23, who is reading Middle Eastern Studies at Manchester University, said: "I saw them only yesterday playing across the road.

"They seem confident little girls and always cheerful."

Another student, who gave her name only as Debbie, said: "They gave me a wave so I waved back."

Nikolay Poyukov, 22, a business student at Salford University, said: "They often play together in the street quite happily.

"I didn’t realise they were missing but I could hear the police helicopter over the park all night.

"Their parents must have been very worried."