Rhys Jones died after being swept down in the River Ebbw

Rhys Jones and three friends were playing near the River Ebbw at Rhiwderin, near Newport, on Saturday when they were swept away.

One of the boys struggled ashore after being taken downstream for more than half a mile and told a farmer his friends were in danger - two of the boys were found on the river bank.

Pupils and staff at Rhys' school, Bassaleg Comprehensive, Newport, paid tribute to the "well-loved pupil" on Monday.

"We observed a minutes' silence and stood in the memory of Rhys, our thoughts with the family and those closest to him," said head teacher Dr Ian Garrero.

The school is now offering counselling to the children who survived the ordeal.

He added: "We are also in touch with the parents to see if they need more counselling at all."

Despite the efforts of two police officers who pulled Rhys from the water, he was pronounced dead at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport.

It is understood that Rhys and his friends were playing with inflatable plastic bags near a footbridge.

Police said the survivors were too upset to tell them exactly what happened.

The river was swollen by heavy rain before the accident

"We will be conducting an inquiry into what happened over the next few days, first of all allowing the three boys time to recover from what's happened," said Inspector Jim Baker, of Gwent Police.

"We'll be speaking to them at a later date."

The farmer who called emergency services, George Proctor, described how the boy who escaped the river raised the alarm.

He said: "That lad had the gumption to get hold of a branch (and) pull himself out of the water.

"He got up a bank 60ft high, crossed a field, climbed through a hedge and he staggered to me.

"He couldn't even talk because he was in shock.

"It's a miracle that any of them got out of there."

Police have issued a warning to other youngsters to keep away from the river.