A major manhunt was launched by police after a distressed mum-of-four threatened to drive off a cliff with her children.

The woman's terrified ex-husband called in Basildon officers after she made the wild threats.

She disappeared from her Pitsea home at about 10.30pm on Wednesday after bundling the children inside a blue Ford Escort.

Nearly all the officers on the evening shift at the Basildon station were sent out to search for the missing family and contact relatives and friends for possible leads.

The weather was too bad to send up the helicopter, but neighbouring forces including Kent were notified to keep an eye out for the Escort.

Police also called taxi drivers working in the area for help.

At about 11.40pm, a cabbie came up trumps and spotted the car parked in Vange Hill Drive in Vange. Officers arrived and found the woman inside one of the addresses there.

A police spokesman said: "She was in a depressed condition, very distressed. She was taken into custody for her own well-being. The children were safe and well."

Social services were alerted about the youngsters, aged between two and seven and are now in contact with the family.

Sgt Martin Pasmore of Basildon police said: "I was helping co-ordinate the search from my patrol car. We were racking our brains as to where she could have gone.

"We contacted all taxi firms in the area to keep their eyes out for the car and the vehicle was immediately listed on the police national computer.

"The search was concentrated locally, but we widened the search to other counties because she threatened to drive off a cliff and there are none in Essex.

"Once found, the woman was brought in under the Mental Health Act. After assessment she was released in the morning without any kind of caution as this was clearly a welfare issue."

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