MISSING patient Andrew Sutcliffe has been returned to Calderstones Hospital -- more than two months weeks after absconding and four weeks after police 'found him.'

Trust bosses said he has been re-admitted to the West Drive Unit -- the hospital's more secure unit -- and is being looked at by a clinical team.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) took Mr Sutcliffe, 18, back to the Whalley medium secure hospital late on Thursday night.

Mr Sutcliffe went missing when he gave staff the slip on July 11 during an accompanied home visit to Manchester.

He told a female worker he needed to go to the toilet and fled through the back door of his mother's house in the Burnage area of Manchseter.

He was not heard of again until nearly five weeks later when a chain of events began, which Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans described as 'bizarre.'

GMP 'found' Mr Sutcliffe by contacting a mobile phone and officers were in regular contact.

However they refused to return him because they said he was safe and well.

This was despite him being referred to the hospital by a court order.

Greater Manchester Police officers also failed to inform Calderstones of the discovery, because they said Mr Sutcliffe was still technically missing as they were yet to see him.

Two days later, GMP issued a picture of the teenager -- who hospital bosses stressed was never a danger to the public -- and an appeal for help in tracking him down.

His section at the hospital ran out on September 3, adding to the confusion, as it meant he was no longer technically a Calderstones patient.

Mr Sutcliffe was the seventh patient to abscond from the medium secure hospital in the past 18 months, leading to calls from MPs for an urgent security review.

He was admitted to hospital via the courts and is a resident on the West Drive Unit.

It is not known why Andrew appeared in court, due to patient confidentiality.

A spokesman: "Calderstones Hospital can confirm that Greater Manchester Police returned Andrew Sutcliffe to the hospital on Thursday, September 13.

"He was re-admitted to the West Drive Unit and appears to be well and is being assessed by a clinical team."

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson confirmed they returned Mr Sutcliffe late on Thursday night, after finding him in the Burnage area of Manchester.