The number of children officially registered as missing in the Netherlands has reached 604, compared with 353 in January 2008, the national police service told Nos tv news.

Police say the increase is partly due to children being taken abroad by one parent after a divorce. ‘That group is increasing sharply with the rise in mixed marriages,’ a spokesman said.
Some 260 of the 604 missing children were taken by their parents. Half of the rest are runaways aged 15 to 18.