Caregivers of a toddler found wandering down a busy suburban road in a nappy and singlet in Lower Hutt have been found.

Police were earlier doorknocking homes in the suburb of Taitā after the boy, estimated to be 3 or 4 years old, was found walking on High St some time before 10am.

“Good morning all, if you are missing your child 3/4years old, he is now with the police as we had no other choice,” wrote a member of the public on social media.

The child was spotted walking towards the suburb of Pomare, and the poster urged the boy’s family to contact police.

A police spokeswoman earlier confirmed officers were doing door knocks in the area the child was found to see if they could find the house he disappeared from, but at that point had not received a report about a missing child from the caregivers.

Since then, the caregivers had contacted police to report the toddler missing, the spokeswoman said.

It is not yet clear how long it took for the child’s disappearance to be reported.