A girl of seven sparked a massive police hunt and a nightmare for her frantic parents after climbing a five-foot fence and disappearing.

Freya Gould safe and sound after her adventure Fatima and Roderick Gould, of Ardley Road, Middleton Stoney, near Bicester, were frantic when they realised their daughter Freya, who has Down's Syndrome, had managed to get out of the garden where she had been playing minutes earlier.

The adventurous girl, who had donned her brother Armand's orange ski jacket after watching a video of herself in the snow, scaled the fence while her mother's back was turned.

She apparently headed for a children's playground in nearby Middleton Park, criss-crossing two major roads -- the B430 Ardley Road and the B4030 Bicester Road.

She was finally found at a sewage works in Bicester Road -- but not before police had sent out the force helicopter and 14 officers.

Mr Gould said Freya had been playing in the garden but disappeared while his wife was putting something in the shed.

Just two minutes later when she turned around, Freya had gone.

Mrs Gould frantically searched the house before looking in the playground in Middleton Park.

When she could not find her daughter, she raced home and called the police on 999, who arrived within five minutes.

Mr Gould said: "Every minute she was missing she was exposed to extreme danger.

"The road she set off down claimed our dog Rosie only days before, adding to our fears.

"This is a child with no road sense and no fear of strangers -- she did well to come through unscathed."

Mr Gould praised the police, who found her within just 30 minutes. He said: "We were extraordinarily grateful and impressed by the professionalism and level of resource applied by the force to find Freya."

He also thanked his friends, who rallied round to look for Freya. Nine-year-old Armand also joined the search, last Wednesday morning, knocking on people's doors while out on his bicycle.

Mr Gould said Freya looked very sheepish when she was finally returned home. He said: "We didn't know if she had run off or if she was hiding. It was a terrible feeling.

"I think she was just feeling adventurous after watching the video of herself in the snow."

Bicester police inspector Oliver Wright said: "We are pleased Freya was found so quickly, safe and well.

"We always aim to respond to incidents as quickly as possible, especially when there is a fear for someone's welfare.

"It's really pleasing that the work of officers and helicopter crews has been recognised."

A police spokesman added that it was difficult for them to quantify the cost of the operation.