Two 16-year-olds who ran away from a top boarding school have been found safe and well in the Dominican Republic, police said.

Edward Bunyan and former Brighton student Indira Gainiyeva left Stonyhurst College near Clitheroe, Lancashire, in the early hours of last Monday, apparently took a taxi to Manchester Airport, and headed to the Caribbean sun.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "The students have thankfully been located safe and well at a hotel in the Punta Cana area of the Dominican Republic.

"Plans are now being made for their safe return to the UK.

"They will be given a welfare de-brief by police following their arrival back in this country.

"Our priority throughout this has been to ensure the safety and welfare of those students and after they have been spoken to on their return this will signal an end of police involvement in this matter."

Gainiyeva previously attended a course at Ovingdean Hall International Language School in Brighton.