DESPITE a frantic search by police and Coastguard services, a two-year-old boy was found drowned on Monday (May1) after he disappeared from the holiday caravan park where he was staying.

The child's body was found on a sand bank in the shadows of Shard Bridge, half a mile down stream from the River Wyre Caravan Park, Mains Lane, Singleton.

A major search operation was launched at 12.15pm after the child's grandfather reported him missing from the caravan site which is situated alongside the river.

Police helicopters were launched and the coastguard called out as members of the public joined in the search along the banks during high tide.

But two hours later when the tide receded the body of Reece Maybury from Rochdale was found on a mudbank at the side of the river, near the foot of the Shard Bridge. Andy Schofield, bar manager of the Shard Bridge Inn, said the police alerted him of the boy's disappearance at approximately one o'clock.

"We got a phone call asking us to keep our eye out for a two-year-old boy dressed in green shorts and a green and white striped T-shirt," he said.

"We could also see the helicopter and the police searching the banks."

Ged Lynch, Liverpool coastguard manager who helped co-ordinate the search, said that despite the hot weather on the bank holiday, the water temperature of the River Wyre was still low enough to cause hypothermia.

He added: "Sadly, despite a frantic search involving dozens of rescuers from the Shard Bridge seawards, Reece's body was located on the banks of the river at 1.50pm.

"Our grateful thanks to all those who took part in the search and rescue so promptly and our heartfelt sympathies are with all the family at this time."