BOSTON -- Two young brothers who were lost in the woods for hours over the weekend were found safe Sunday afternoon.

The boys, just 3 and 5 years old, were found after a major search was launched in the woods around Shutesbury.

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They were hiking with family members when they wondered off but a frantic search involving about 50 people ended happily after six hours.

NewsCenter 5's Shiba Russell reported that there was an emotional reunion about 5 p.m. as the boys were returned to their mother and grandfather, with tears flowing all around, even among the men who had combed the woods for the boys.

Cheers and clapping greeted Jason, 5, and Ryan, 3, as they rejoined their mother, Carrie Murray. They were a bit dirty and suffering from some bug bites, but otherwise OK.

Massachusetts Environmental Officer Sgt. Charles Ziemba spotted the two Abbington, Mass., boys walking. He spotted them on a main trail, more than a mile into the woods.

"I saw them walking south and when I approached, they started to run, like they were going to hide. They were scared," Ziemba said.

Ziemba and dozens of local volunteers had been searching the area east of Bushy Mountain since about 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning. It was believed that the two boys had unintentionally wandered off during a hike with family friends in the thickly forested area.

"From what I believe, some older children took off ahead of the adults and whatnot, and these two tried catching them and apparently they couldn't catch up with them but they got ahead of the adults and they got turned around somewhere," volunteer searcher Gary Czupkiewicz said.

"Worst trauma that I've been through that I can remember," the boys' grandfather, Jack Murray, said as he held Ryan. "It's all fine now. God's in his heaven."

The boys' mother said the first order of business would be a bath and some food.