Missing Noah Woods’ update as dad issues emotional statement
Three-year-old Noah Woods vanished yesterday near a playground in Brantham, Suffolk, and a new update suggests he may have gone further afield, beyond the immediate vicinity
Noah went missing on Tuesday afternoon(Image: Family Handout/Suffolk Police/PA Wire)
New images released by the police may become vital clues in helping find missing three-year-old Noah Woods.
A major search operation has entered its second day, with specially trained police officers, dog units and hundreds of local volunteers all coming together to find little Noah.
The young lad valished near a small playground in the small Suffolk village of Brantham yesterday afternoon. Now, police have released new CCTV footage of Noah playing in the park before his disappearance.
Suffolk Constabulary says the last confirmed sighting was at 2.37pm yesterday afternoon, when Noah became separated from a relative after visiting the playground in Merriam Close.
Police have shared new CCTV images of Noah’s last known whereabouts(Image: Suffolk Constabulary)
It comes as police have cornered off a local lake known as Decoy Pond, with a nearby wooded area also “out of bounds” to the public.
Noah is described as white, with curly ginger hair, and had been wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and trainers at the time of his disappearance.
He is also described as non-verbal, has partial hearing loss and is currently undergoing an assessment for autism. Because of these vulnerabilities, he will not respond to his name, police said. Here is everything we know so far…
Last sighting
Noah was filmed on CCTV playing at the playground(Image: Suffolk Constabulary)
Newly released CCTV footage shows young Noah playing on a blue roundabout in the park, wearing a light-coloured T-shirt and blue shorts. Another still from the video shows the boy walking along the grass in his black trainers.
Local Michael Crowley was working opposite the park and saw him playing on the swings with another person at around 3pm. “He looked as happy and healthy as anything,” he said.
According to Suffolk Police, Noah then became separated from a relative as they left the playground in Merriam Close. He is believed to have run down an alleyway next to the playground, towards a nearby new-build housing estate.
Emergency services are now carrying out searches in Brantham, while local residents have been asked to check their gardens, sheds and outbuildings. More than 100 people joined searches yesterday evening.
Footpath theory
A map showing Brantham and where Noah went missing
A map of Brantham shows the location of the playground where Noah went missing, as well as a footpath leading from Merriam Close, which he might have used. As the map shows, Decoy Pond is situated at the end of the path, which is near a new housing estate.
The left of the map shows Brantham Village Hall, the focal point for the search effort, which has involved hundreds of volunteers so far, as well as the emergency services.
At least sixty volunteers are combing the edges of fields behind the housing estate while locals also search the banks of the River Stour. Brantham Parish Council confirmed that 500 people left the village hall split into groups of 10 this morning.
Council clerk Sarah Keys said: “Remember you are looking for a frightened three-year-old. If you find him, do not approach him but call 999. Do not draw attention to yourselves because we don’t want crowds to scare him. Use all of your senses, thoroughly check your gardens, sheds and outbuildings. Look in small spaces. If you have private CCTV or a doorbell camera please review the footage.”
Dad’s update
Emergency services believe Noah may have gone beyond the immediate areas surrounding the playground(Image: Family Handout/Suffolk Police/PA Wire)
Noah’s dad, Rhys, has today issued an update on the search for his son, revealing that emergency services believe that Noah has gone beyond the immediate areas surrounding the playground. He asked people to “please not give up on him”, while clarifying that the youngster is “only mildly autistic and has partial hearing loss”.
The worried dad said: “Thank every single one of you who have taken part in the search for our boy Noah. To clear things up, because people really do make up their own stories, he is only mildly autistic and has partial hearing loss, he is fully capable of everyday tasks.
“We still have nothing, all the emergency services and all of you have shown how strong this community is, with people coming from far and wide (…). The emergency services are very confident that the high-risk areas (Decoy pond, railway lines) are all clear.”
He continued: “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,
“I cannot go another night knowing he’s out there alone, please don’t give up on him guys. He is out there somewhere, and I appreciate every single one of you.”
The search continues
More than 100 people joined in searches in the area last night(Image: Newsquest / SWNS)
Because of the “fast-moving nature of the investigation”, officers have urged local residents to coordinate searches with the police.
Superintendent Pete Partridge said: “It is important that any public searches are coordinated with police to ensure we are working together, and that our resources are directed where they can be most effective.
“We therefore ask that people do not put themselves at risk or undertake independent searches overnight. We will continue to keep Noah’s family and the public updated on the progress of our searches and investigation.
“We know that people want to help, and so we are urging local residents to carefully read our requests to check their gardens and outbuildings and review any CCTV or dashcam footage as a priority. Anyone who believes they have seen Noah is asked to contact us immediately.”
