Noah Woods: Body found in search for missing three-year-old boy

A body has been found in the search for missing three-year-old Noah Woods in Suffolk.

Noah, who was autistic, non-verbal and partially deaf, went missing on Tuesday afternoon after he ran down an alleyway during a visit to a village playground in Brantham.

The boy became separated from a relative and his disappearance sparked a major search operation involving the police, coastguard and about 1,300 volunteers.

:: How the Suffolk search unfolded

On Wednesday, Superintendent Tom Pearse said a child's body had been discovered in a nearby pond.

"Formal identification has yet to take place, but the family of Noah Woods have been informed of this development," he said.

"The discovery of the body is currently being treated as not suspicious but unexplained."

The body was recovered from Decoy Pond, a fishing lake near to the play area in Merriam Close where he was last seen.

Specialist dive teams from the Metropolitan Police had been deployed to assist with the hunt for the boy and were seen searching the water on Wednesday afternoon.

The search was made more difficult because Noah would not have responded to his name if called.

As well as a massive ground search, helicopters, sniffer dogs, thermal imaging were used to try and find Noah, with police going door to door and scouring CCTV.

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Superintendent Pearse, who was visibly emotional, said police had been "overwhelmed by the outpouring public support" and the number of volunteers "putting on their boots and helping us search".

"As a parent myself, I completely understand why people would want to help and such a response is one that typifies the strong sense of community and the heart-warming nature of Suffolk people that make the county such a special place," he said.

"I am sure you appreciate the family now need time, space and privacy and I thank you for your understanding in this."

Volunteers who were gathered in a garden area at Brantham Leisure Centre were brought to tears after Mr Pearse broke the news.

Brantham Parish Council said: "Our thoughts are with Noah's family, friends and everyone who knows and loves him at this incredibly difficult time."

The leisure centre, which had become a hub for search efforts and the massive community response, will remain open on Thursday to offer support, the council said.

Police released CCTV shortly after midday on Wednesday showing Noah's last known movements at the playground.

The footage shows him running and interacting with a piece of play equipment.

(c) Sky News 2026: Noah Woods: Body found in search for missing three-year-old boy