Missing girl, 3, found safe and well after police launched urgent search for dad who ‘fled crime scene with her in car’

A THREE-year-old girl who went missing with her dad has been found - but he is still being hunted by cops.

Simon Cooney, from Preston, is wanted by Lancashire Police after a woman was punched in the face and bitten in the early hours of this morning.

The woman got out of the car after the assault and Simon, 35, then fled Kingscote Park, Blackpool about 4am this morning - with little Autumn in the back of the vehicle.

Autumn was found "safe and well" outside her home address in Blackpool on Monday, Lancashire Police said.

But police are still searching for Simon after finding the car abandoned on Lakeway, Blackpool.

Simon is described as white, approximately 6ft tall, of slim build, with a shaven head and a beard. He has links to both Blackpool and Preston.

Insp Jon Campbell-Smith, of Blackpool Police, said: "We are also incredibly relieved that Autumn has since turned up outside her home address and is safe and well.

“We still want to locate Simon Cooney as part of our enquiries into an assault this morning and are asking anyone who knows where he is, or who has seen him, not to approach him but to call us straight away.”

Anyone with information should quote log 211 of August 28th when they call.