Police have confirmed that a body has been found in the search for missing three-year-old Noah Woods in Suffolk. The child disappeared on Tuesday afternoon from a playground in Brantham and was last seen at approximately 15:00 BST.

Noah, who was non-verbal and partially deaf, became separated from a relative at the playground. His disappearance triggered a large-scale search operation involving emergency services and a significant number of public volunteers.

Dive teams from Suffolk Police recovered the body of a child from a nearby pond. Superintendent Tom Pearse of Suffolk Police stated that while formal identification has not yet taken place, Noah's family has been informed. The death is currently being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

Authorities have expressed gratitude for the overwhelming public support, with at least 1,300 members of the public assisting in the search efforts. Volunteers travelled from as far afield as Birmingham and Hampshire to help scour the area, which is close to the River Stour estuary on the Essex border.

The search efforts had been co-ordinated from Brantham Leisure Centre and the village hall, which saw high demand for volunteer resources. Search areas were widened to include East Bergholt and Manningtree, across the Essex border, on Wednesday. Specialist divers from the Metropolitan Police were deployed to search Decoy Pond, a fishing lake located approximately 350 yards from the playground where Noah was last seen.

Michael Crowley, who was working opposite the playground and was among the last people to see Noah, described the child as "happy and healthy." Jessica Gammons, a mother from Kelvedon, Essex, joined the search despite being heavily pregnant, stating she felt compelled to help because her own son is the same age as Noah.

Superintendent Pearse acknowledged the extensive deployment of officers and staff in the search and support for Noah's family. He also highlighted the collaboration with various agencies, including Suffolk HART, SULSAR, the Environment Agency, HM Coastguard, the Fire and Rescue Service, and the ambulance service.

The community's response underscored the profound impact of Noah's disappearance, with many expressing their deep sadness and concern for the family. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Noah's death is ongoing, with police continuing to gather information and support the grieving family.