Search to continue overnight for missing two-year-old in Leicester river

Specialist dive teams will continue to search overnight for a two-year-old boy who fell into the River Soar in Leicester.

The boy had been with family when he fell into the water in the Aylestone Meadows area, close to Marsden Lane, at around 5pm on Sunday.

A man who was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure has been discharged, Leicestershire Police said.

Assistant chief constable Michaela Kerr said police are doing everything they can to find the boy “as quickly as possible”.

She added: “I would like to reassure people that there will continue to be policing presence and policing activity overnight at the river.

“But I would like to remind people, please, don’t come down to the scene.”

Sergeant Chris Haines, who is leading the search operation, said: “Underwater dive teams are doing extensive searches, which they are continuing at present.”

He added that searches will continue “over the next couple of days”.

Police appealed to anyone who spoke to officers near the scene on Monday to get back in touch.

A dog walker who walked along the footpath near the Packhorse Bridge at around 5pm has also been asked to contact police.

Ms Kerr said: “Thank you to everyone who continues to support us during our ongoing search.

“Specialist officers remain in the area and will continue the search throughout the evening. If anyone has any information which may assist us, they are urged to get in touch.”

Specialist teams were deployed to the area yesterday evening, including Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, and the operation continued overnight with force units using night vision goggles searching the area.

A long-standing resident whose home overlooks Aylestone Meadows said flooding from the River Soar in recent weeks had left parts of the nature reserve in a treacherous state.

She said a helicopter had initially flown over the area for around an hour after reports that a two-year-old child had fallen in the river.

The resident, who did not wish to be named, told reporters: “It seemed to be there for a long time hovering.

“It felt as if it was above my house. The lights were on and it didn’t move for about an hour or so.”

The woman, who walks regularly in the area, said a nearby canal and the river sometimes “go into one” during peak flooding periods.

“It’s fast-flowing,” she said of current conditions. “It’s been quite bad.

“It’s devastating to think how they (family members) must be feeling.”

Anyone with any information should contact 999 quoting incident 476:180224.