The mum of four-year-old Cleo Smith, who vanished from a campsite more than two weeks ago, has said ‘our family is whole again’ after she was found ‘alive and well’.

A team from Western Australia Police found the little girl inside a room in a locked house after carrying out a raid in the early hours of Wednesday morning in which a 36-year-old man was also arrested.

Hardened veterans openly broke down in tears after seeing body worn footage of the moment one of the officers scooped the youngster up into his arms and hearing her say: ‘My name is Cleo.’

The case had both horrified and captivated the nation, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison telling reporters on his way home from Scotland: ‘It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.

‘The fact that that nightmare has come to an end and our worst fears were not realised is just a huge relief, a moment of great joy.

‘This particular case, obviously, has captured the hearts of Australians as we felt such terrible sorrow for the family.’

Soon after the rescue, Cleo was reunited with her mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon.

Ms Smith later said on social media: ‘Our family is whole again.’

Police also posted a photo of the little girl beaming from a hospital bed while clutching an ice lolly, with the caption: ‘The miracle we all hoped for.’

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Cleo had disappeared along with her sleeping bag on the second day of a family camping trip at the Blowholes Campground, 47 miles north of Carnarvon, where the family lives.

A massive land and sea search was scrambled in the sparsely populated region on the assumption she had simply wandered off.

But evidence soon pointed toward something more sinister having taken place.

A vehicle was seen speeding away from the area under cover of darkness and the zipper on a flap of the tent compartment where Cleo and her sister were sleeping was too high for her to have reached.

The state government put up a $1 million (£546,000) reward for information, which is not expected to be claimed.

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Western Australia state Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said it was ‘dogged, methodical police work’ which led to Cleo being found.

He said she is ‘as well as you can expect’, adding: ‘This has been an ordeal. I won’t go into any more details, other than to say we’re so thankful she’s alive.’

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said Mr Dawson told him he had broken down in tears when she was found.

Mr Fuller had called across the country from Sydney on the east coast, to Perth in the west, to congratulate Dawson on the outcome.

He told Sydney Radio 2GB: ‘He broke down and cried, which for a veteran in policing, you rarely see that.

‘It speaks volumes in terms of the amount of effort they put into finding her.

‘Whilst we were all hoping and praying as the days went on, I think the chances of finding her alive were so slim.’

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Mr Dawson said body camera video of four police officers breaking into the house with a search warrant and finding the girl made him emotional.

He went on: ‘It’s a really joyous occasion. We don’t always get these sort of outcomes, and while we were very, very concerned, we didn’t lose hope.’

Western Australia Police Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch described seeing seasoned detectives ‘openly crying with relief’.

He told Perth Radio 6PR: ‘We were looking for a needle in a haystack and we found it.

‘When she said, “My name is Cleo,” I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house.

‘To see Cleo rescued this morning, I’m speechless.’

Carnarvon Shire President Eddie Jones said the local community would be ‘elated, thankful’ when they heard the good news.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan wrote on social media: ‘I’m beyond relieved. The nightmare is now finally over for Cleo and her family.’

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