Hundreds join desperate search for partially deaf three-year-old boy missing from playground
A search has been launched after a three-year-old boy went missing at a playground in Sussex.
Noah Woods was in the park on Merriam Close in Brantham with a relative but later ‘became separated’ from them as they exited the park at around 3pm yesterday (15 September).
Noah is reported to have run off down the alleyway beside the playground towards the new build housing estate, officers said.
Suffolk Police confirmed the three-year-old is autistic, non-verbal and has partial hearing loss.
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He is white with curly ginger hair and was wearing a white t-shirt with the TV character Bluey on, shorts and white trainers when he went missing.
Police told the BBC that Noah would not respond to his name if called.
After news spread that the youngster had gone missing, locals launched a search for him, with the BBC reporting more than 100 people were out looking for him last night.
One resident who was out searching, told The Sun: “We are just praying that he might have got tired and be curled up somewhere asleep.”
Superintendent Pete Partridge urged those living in the area to check their sheds and gardens.
"We ask local residents to please check their outbuildings, gardens and sheds, and report any sightings to police on 999," he said.
Parish clerk Sarah Keys told the East Anglian Daily Times: "We are trying to get people to check their ring doorbell. We've got most of the village covered.
"What I am saying now is feet on the ground.
"Walk around the village and hope he pops out in front of you.
"Talk to as many people as you can and find out what they know.
"I am imagining he is very scared."
A helicopter was also spotted flying overhead near the estuary of the River Stour and close to the Essex border.
Earlier this evening, volunteers who had offered to help with the search were told to go home for the evening as emergency services continued looking into the night.
The Brantham Parish Council wrote on its Facebook page: “We have been completely overwhelmed by the support received from the Brantham community and from visitors from far and wide and our thanks go to the emergency services and all the volunteers who have joined the search so far.
“The Village Hall will be open all night with toilet facilities and drinks if you need it.
“The emergency services will be continuing their search throughout the night.”
In a follow-up, the council added: "Just to be absolutely clear, the police will not be standing down.
"They will continue their searches throughout the night.
"We have been asked to encourage members of the public who have been out searching to stand down for tonight, go home and get some much-needed rest.
"It's important the energy of the emergency services is fully focused on Noah's search.
"We have been overwhelmed by the way the community has once again come together for our village and we will continue the search tomorrow unless there is good news in the night."
According to the Daily Mail, passengers on trains running between Manningtree and Ipswich were told that their services would be run at a reduced speed because of the ongoing searches.
A spokesman 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.”
Anyone who believes that they have seen Noah is being asked to contact Suffolk police, quoting CAD 203 of 15 September.
Topics: UK News
Claire Reid