Noah Woods: Volunteers break down crying as body found in search for missing three-year-old

Noah Woods: Volunteers break down crying as body found in search for missing three-year-old Devastated volunteers wept as police confirmed a child's body had been found in a pond in Brantham, Suffolk in the search for missing three-year-old Noah Woods Volunteers have been left in tears after a body was found in the search for three-year-old Noah Woods today. The toddler, partially deaf and non-verbal, went missing from a village playground in Brantham, Suffolk on Tuesday after being separated from a relative. CCTV footage of his last known movements showed Noah playing with a roundabout. Divers from the Met Police searched water around the River Stour, while a helicopter from HM Coastguard was spotted circling the area today. Police announced this evening that divers had recovered the body of a child from Decoy Pond, and that Noah's family has been informed. It was the news the people of Brantham had been dreading. As the police chief leading the search made the announcement many volunteers openly wept. Minutes later there were emotional and poignant scenes as hundreds of searchers left the nearby countryside and streamed back into the Suffolk village. Volunteers had also just heard that a body had been found in Decoy pond - so close to where Noah had disappeared. All were shocked. Many were in tears. Some stopped at the playground where Noah was last seen to bow their heads and pay their last respects. They stood in silence. Mums clutched their children’s hands more tightly as the village started to come to terms with the shocking news. Some women wept while others stood in silence in the field next to the pond after new notifications on their mobile phones alerted them to the tragic find. What have police said? In a statement published at 5.49pm this evening, Suffolk Constabulary said police dive teams had "sadly recovered the body of a child" from Decoy Pond in Brantham. Formal identification has yet to take place, and the discovery of the body is currently being treated as not "suspicious but unexplained". Superintendent Tom Pearse, whose own voice was cracking with emotion, said: “First and foremost our thoughts are with Noah’s family and all who knew him. “Since Noah was reported as missing vast number of our officers and staff have been deployed in numerous functions in the search for Noah and support for his family. We’ve been supported by the National Police Air Service, Suffolk HART, SULSAR, Environment Agency, HM Coastguard, Fire and Rescue Service and the ambulance service. We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of public support, people 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. I am sure you appreciate the family now need time, space and privacy and I thank you for your understanding in this.” It followed a huge multi-agency search involving the National Police Air Service, Suffolk Hazardous Area Response Team, Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue, the Environment Agency, HM Coastguard, firefighters and the ambulance service A volunteer search also involved around 1,300 members of the public, with efforts co-ordinated from a local church hall. 'This is shattering news' After the tragic news emerged, one searcher Sophie Reece, 29, from Ipswich said: “This is shattering news. Everyone is so upset. "We all hoped we’d find him. I’m so sorry for his family.” Brantham Parish Council issued a statement. It said: "Our thoughts are with Noah’s family, friends and everyone who knows and loves him at this incredibly difficult time. "We want to say a heartfelt thank you to Brantham residents and the wider community. The response over the past couple of days has been extraordinary. "So many people have given their time, searched, brought supplies, opened buildings, supported volunteers and stood together as a community. "Your kindness, care and willingness to help has been truly remarkable. At this time, we ask everyone to please respect the family’s privacy and give them the time and space they need. When did Noah go missing? Suffolk Police released CCTV stills and footage of Noah in the play area in the Suffolk village taken at 2.37pm on Tuesday, a few moments before he vanished. It is thought that he ran down an alleyway beside the playground towards a nearby new-build housing estate. The surrounding area includes woods and a pond and is near the River Stour and a railway. Noah was wearing a white T-shirt with the TV character Bluey on, shorts and black Vans trainers with a white stripe. Suffolk police deployed dog units and specially trained officers and its search efforts were even joined by HM Coastguard and the fire service. They told searchers that Noah would not respond to his name being called. During the day there had been an extraordinary response to Noah’s disappearance. Dad's emotional plea Noah's dad Rhys had issued an impassioned plea to help find his missing son. His plea was answered in an amazing show of humanity. First people, none of whom knew Noah, came in their tens, then their hundreds and finally their thousands. They were all strangers but they realised and understood the pain the family was going through and wanted to drop anything to help. There were so many that Brantham was gridlocked with cars. Supt Pearse had been so moved by the response he went to address the massed throng standing patiently outside Brantham village hall awaiting instructions on where to search He told them: "I give my heartfelt thanks to all of you coming out here today. From what I have seen, it is an unbelievably special community. You have demonstrated that by the way you have all come together. "I want to pass on the thanks of Noah's family. They are unbelievably grateful and blown away by your support." 'Humanity has shone through' Earlier Rhys posted on social media: "Hi all, Thank every single one of you who have taken part in the search for our boy Noah. "This means knowing our boy, he has gone even further, could I ask that all of you brilliant people out there today expand further if you are able to? Reference where I have outlined, and maybe even further than this. He is out there somewhere and I appreciate every single one of you." Everywhere I looked during the day there were swarms of people searching hedgerows, ditches and barns. There was so much traffic locals, not the police, organised a one way system to prevent jams. I met a woman who was visiting from the United States who felt she just had to come to help. A man from Colchester walked nine miles in the surrounding fields before going to work at 9am. And another man from Ipswich brought his bloodhound Marshall to join the search. One local told me: “It is the very worst of days - but humanity has shone through today.” The play area where Noah went missing remains sealed off. Kevin Gray, 32, of Manningtree, Essex, and his brother Shane Barnett, 39, of Harwich, Essex, took a day off from their gardening business to join the search on Wednesday. Mr Gray said: "I came out last night until 11.45pm. There were so hundreds of people out looking which was amazing. You looked across the field and all you could see were torches and some people driving around with headlights on. I decided I had to come back today and help."