Police divers have recovered the body of a child from Decoy Pond in Brantham during the major search for missing three-year-old Noah Woods.
Suffolk Police confirmed the discovery on Wednesday evening following an extensive search operation involving emergency services, specialist teams and around 1,300 members of the public.
Formal identification has not yet taken place, but Noah’s family have been informed of the discovery.
Police said the death is currently being treated as unexplained but not suspicious, and the coroner will be informed.
Noah disappeared on Tuesday afternoon after being seen at a playground in Merriam Close, Brantham. CCTV captured him at the playground at around 2.37pm before he was believed to have headed down an alleyway towards a nearby housing development.
The search rapidly developed into a major multi-agency operation, with police officers, search dogs, helicopters, Coastguard personnel, firefighters, specialist search teams and hundreds of volunteers involved.
Attention had increasingly focused on Decoy Pond, where specialist divers were deployed as part of the search.
Superintendent Tom Pearse, of Suffolk Police, said: “First and foremost our thoughts are with Noah’s family and all who knew him.”
Police had earlier confirmed that a body had been found during the search, although at that stage its identity had not been confirmed.
Further enquiries will now take place to establish the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
