LITTLE Noah Woods was last seen on CCTV running and playing in a village park, with hundreds turning out for a frantic two-day search.

The partially deaf, non-verbal three-year-old – wearing a T-shirt adorned with cartoon character Bluey – disappeared in a key 20-minute window.

CCTV released by cops shows Noah running around an under 5s play park at 2.37pm

He was at the park with his grandad on Tuesday

His dad has now paid tribute after a police divers recovered a child’s body from a large pond near where the toddler vanished, cops have since confirmed the it is little Noah.

CCTV released by cops showed Noah running around a swinging toy in an under-5s play park at 2.37pm on Tuesday.

Around 20 minutes later, Noah and his grandad left the park in Brantham, Suffolk.

But the little boy ran off, down an alleyway and towards a new-build housing estate and fishing lake nearby.

A frantic search was launched for the boy, and 24 hours later there was still no sign of him.

Hundreds of locals banded together to help scour the village for little Noah.

Dog units, police and HM Coastguard helicopters were deployed in the desperate hunt for the tot.

The playground in the village of Brantham in Suffolk where three-year-old Noah went missing

Noah will not respond to his name, cops said

Suffolk Fire & Rescue and Suffolk Lowland Search & Rescue also joined the search.

Cops went door-to-door in their frantic search for the little boy.

Locals were urged to check outbuildings, gardens and under furniture.

Firefighters were seen looking under cars and over garden walls close to the playground.

Many were spotted walking around the village and searching the banks of the nearby River Stour by torchlight.

A search and rescue helicopter joined the hunt and high speed trains were ordered to slow down to avoid the risk of the boy being hit.

The little boy ran off, down an alleyway and towards a new-build housing estate and fishing lake nearby

Little Noah went missing from a playground and went in the direction of a fishing lake 0.2 miles away

Officers were spotted near moored boats on the river and on the nearby railway line.

Yesterday afternoon, Decoy Pond was cordoned off by police tape as locals were warned the area is “out of bounds”.

The Met Police deployed specialist divers to search the fishing lake, about 0.2 miles away from the park.

Then in a tragic update just before 6pm last night, cops confirmed a body had been found.

A diver searching the water for the little boy

Tributes have been left outside the playground this morning

Suffolk Police Superintendent Tom Pearse said: “Police have recovered the body of a child from Decoy Pond in Brantham.

“Formal identification is yet to take place, but the family of Noah Woods have been informed of this development.”

Noah’s dad Rhys Woods said: “There are no words to describe the pain of this loss, we are all absolutely heartbroken, Noah was the sweetest and most innocent little boy, with nothing but love to give, and we are going to miss him so very much.

“It seems he has made an impact across the whole nation, you have all taken Noah into you’re own hearts, with all the overwhelming help, we were all just trying to bring him home to us safe and sound.

Volunteers joining the search on September 16 for Noah Woods

The Coastguard Search and Rescue turned up for the search

Missing posters being stuck up around the area

“A heartfelt thank you to everyone in our community (even far and wide) who came together to search for our boy.

“The compassion shown by all of you will never be forgotten by us, and brought us comfort and strength at the darkest time of our lives.”

He added: “This was the most heartbreaking outcome for us, we were just hoping that he would be hiding somewhere obvious where someone could find him, that’s what we kept telling ourselves the whole time.

“Noah, you will be loved forever, you will never be forgotten and we miss you so so much, it has been a privilege to be your parents and be able to have packed so much love in the short 3 years you were with us.”

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/40400403/noah-disappearance-unfolded-minutes-search-body/