A father jumped into a river to try to rescue his two-year-old son who fell from a footbridge in Leicester, police have said as a search operation entered its third day.
The boy, from a local family, fell into the murky and cold River Soar at just after 5pm on Sunday in the Aylestone Meadows nature reserve, close to Marsden Lane.
A major search involving specialist divers, drones, helicopters and four police forces is continuing.
Leicestershire Police confirmed that the boy fell from a footbridge and his father jumped into the river in an effort to retrieve him. The Telegraph understands that the bridge is about 15ft tall.
Assistant Chief Constable Michaela Kerr said: “The child was with family members at the time that he went into the water and we do know that one person went into the River Soar in an attempt to try and get the child, but sadly at this moment we still haven’t been able to find the child.
“At the time the boy fell into the water, he had been with his family standing on a bridge.”
The father was taken to hospital as a precaution, but has since been discharged. Other family members, including the boy’s mother, are understood to have visited the police cordon next to a flooded towpath on Monday and spoken to officers.
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.
