A MOTHER and her three-year-old son who were missing for eight months are safe and well, a judge has confirmed.

Ellie Yarrow-Sanders, 26, fled with her son Olly Sheridan mid-way through court litigation with her ex-partner Patrick Sheridan, Olly’s dad, in July last year.

The courts and Mr Sheridan had attempted to trace Miss Yarrow-Sanders privately up until December last year to no avail.

At this time, Mr Justice Williams, the judge presiding over the case, said he had “grave concerns” over Olly’s welfare and lifted the ban on publicising details of the case in order to help trace the mum and son.

Essex Police confirmed last week that the search for Miss Yarrow-Sanders and Olly had been called off, with the High Court confirming their whereabouts were known.

A hearing into the case was heard at the High Court in London yesterday. Now that Miss Yarrow-Sanders and Olly have returned, the case will resume in private, meaning the media cannot report any further details.

However, Mr Justice Williams confirmed that Miss Yarrow-Sanders and Olly are safe and well, and further hearings into the matter will be held at the same court later in the year.

Miss Yarrow-Sanders’ family, who come from Basildon, attracted national attention when the court’s appeal went out in December.

A petition was started by her mother and sister, Donna and Maddie Yarrow, calling for the Home Office to grant Miss Yarrow-Sanders amnesty for taking Olly away.

In letters shared by the family on social media, Miss Yarrow-Sanders said that running away “was the only way” to protect her son.

The petition received more than 1,500 signatures.

Patrick Sheridan was he was “sick with worry” over Olly, fearing he would fade from his memory, and just wanted him to “live a normal life”.

In early February, family members Maddie and Donna Yarrow also joined the appeal for Ellie’s return, as long as “certain conditions” were met. This was at the same time Mr Justice Williams took to Twitter to appeal for her to come home.

The family also started a GoFundMe page to cover Miss Yarrow-Sanders’ solicitor costs for the High Court litigation. It has raised more than £4,700.