- By Tom Oakley
- BBC News, East Midlands
Rescue teams have been searching the river and surrounding waters
Police have recovered CCTV footage that officers believe shows a missing two-year-old boy falling into a river in Leicester.
Officers have been at the scene along the River Soar, in the Aylestone area, since about 17:00 GMT on Sunday.
Specialist dive teams continued searching for the child into Tuesday afternoon, but police confirmed he has not yet been found.
“The last thing we can see of the CCTV is that he just disappears into the water,” Leicestershire Police Assistant Chief Constable Michaela Kerr said.
Additional specialist teams joined the search on Monday
ACC Kerr added water levels had subsided, allowing rescue teams to “expand the search further”.
She said: “Our searching strategy is dictated by conditions. We have been able to go back to some of the area we searched [on Monday].
“Today we are able to expand the search further, we want to cover as much of the water as possible.”
With rainfall expected in the area as the search heads towards day four, the force will have to change its tactics in response to the water conditions, ACC Kerr added.
Image source, Leicestershire Police
Additional resources from across the country joined the search on Tuesday
The Metropolitan Police’s Marine Recovery dogs, including rescue teams from Kent and West Mercia forces, joined the operation on Tuesday.
The National Police Air Service and drone unit have been supporting officers on the ground, while teams have also used night-vision goggles to search the water for the boy at night time.
Confirming that the incident is still being treated as a missing person inquiry, ACC Kerr added: “We have nothing to suggest anything other than this is a tragic set of circumstances. We need to find the little boy and return him to his family.
“This is an extremely difficult time for the family; our thoughts are very much with them, and we continue to support them.”
On Monday, officers appealed to speak to a dog walker, who was on the footpath near the Packhorse Bridge at about 17:00 on Sunday. The force said this person might have information that could assist their inquiries.
Police said the boy’s family were being supported by officers
A woman whose home overlooks Aylestone Meadows said a nearby nature reserve had been flooded by water from the River Soar in recent weeks.
“It’s fast-flowing,” the resident, who asked not to be named, told PA Media. “It’s been quite bad.
“It’s devastating to think how they [family members] must be feeling.”
Additional reporting by PA Media
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
