Tony Martin safe after major hunt

Martin was released from prison last year after his sentence was reduced

Norfolk police had to launch a helicopter to find Tony Martin, who was jailed for killing a teenage burglar at his farmhouse, Bleak House, in 1999.

A friend of Martin's told the police the 49-year-old had gone missing after no-one answered the door at Bleak House in Emneth Hungate, west Norfolk.

Police had said that his house was secure, his car was still outside, but there was no trace of the farmer.

He was found on Saturday evening and has now returned home.

Police have said that Martin had been aware of their extensive search.

Martin sparked a national debate about homeowners' rights to protect themselves when he killed 16-year-old Fred Barras in August 1990, and wounded Brendan Fearon, 33, after confronting them at his isolated home.

Mr Martin was initially convicted of murder and given a life sentence.

The conviction was reduced to manslaughter on appeal and the sentence cut to five years - Martin was released from jail last July.

Malcolm Starr, Martin's close friend who campaigned to have him freed, told the BBC that before the farmer was reported as missing on Saturday morning he had last been seen in a pub in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on Friday night.

The police search involved checking the area around Bleak House, contacting friends and appealing to anyone who had knowledge of his whereabouts.