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Search continues for boy, 3, missing at playground

Zoie O'Brien,in Branthamand
Lewis Adams
News imageFamily handout Noah, who has ginger hair, is pictured smiling on a bed.Family handout
Noah Woods was wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and black and white Vans trainers at the time he went missing, police said

Searches are continuing for a missing three-year-old boy who was last seen at a playground in a Suffolk village.

Noah Woods was with a relative at the small park at Merriam Close in Brantham, but "became separated" from them as they left at about 15:00 BST on Tuesday, Suffolk Police said.

The toddler, who is partially deaf, autistic and non-verbal, was reported to have run down a nearby alleyway towards a newbuild housing estate.

More than 100 people joined searches for Noah, while emergency services carried out door-to-door inquiries into the evening.

News imageJamie Niblock/BBC Four members of an emergency search and rescue team use torches to search a wooded area. They are wearing blue helmets and overalls.Jamie Niblock/BBC
Searches for Noah in Brantham continued into the night on Tuesday

Police described Noah as white, with curly ginger hair, and said he would not respond to his name being called.

He was wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and black Vans trainers with a white stripe.

In a statement released overnight, police said efforts to find him were still ongoing.

"We are grateful for the support from the public, however ask people not to undertake independent searches overnight. It's important that any public searches are coordinated with police."

A helicopter was seen flying over the scene, which is near the estuary of the River Stour and close to the Essex border.

Locals were asked to check their gardens, sheds and outbuildings for the youngster.

News imageJamie Niblock/BBC Blue and white police tape cordoning off a pathway next to a small park, which is lined with trees and a bush.Jamie Niblock/BBC
Police cordoned off the area surrounding the park on Tuesday

Passengers on trains between Manningtree and Ipswich were told their services must run at a reduced speed due to the searches.

Rescue teams have been carrying out door-to-door inquiries in the area.

Supt Pete Partridge said on Tuesday: "We have deployed specially trained officers to assist with our search of the area today, including helicopters and drones."

News imageJamie Niblock/BBC A member of a search and rescue team wearing a hi-vis jacket. He is using a torch and headtorch to search an area next to a pond.Jamie Niblock/BBC

Posting on its Facebook page, Suffolk Police said: "It is overwhelming to read the support people are offering."

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said: "We are assisting Suffolk Constabulary with an incident at Brantham by sending an HM Coastguard helicopter and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Felixstowe and Holbrook."

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