A Papamoa mother is relieved her son is home after panic struck when he failed to return from school yesterday afternoon.

Alarm bells were raised when Samantha Campbell's seven-year-old son did not arrive home from Tahatai Coast School when expected.

A series of texts and Facebook posts were sent to parents and children around Tauranga in an attempt to try and locate the Year 3 student.

Police were also contacted.

Caleb, who regularly walks home from school, was expected to arrive around 3.30pm but did not show up.

'He normally doesn't take off. We were very panicked.”

Caleb had instead gone to a friend's house, whose parents later dropped him home, not knowing his family and police had been looking for him.

'It was just a little bit scary.”

The first thing Samantha said to her son was 'where have you been?”

'I was happy to see him but mad he didn't come home.”