NEW CCTV REVEALS NOAH WOODS’ LAST KNOWN MOVEMENTS — HUGE SEARCH ENDS WITH HEARTBREAKING DISCOVERY AT DECOY POND

The desperate search for three-year-old Noah Woods has ended in heartbreak after police confirmed that a child’s body recovered from a Suffolk pond was formally identified as the missing boy.

Noah disappeared on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 15, 2026, after becoming separated from a relative while visiting a playground in Merriam Close, Brantham.

What followed was one of the largest community searches the area had seen, with police, emergency services, specialist teams and approximately 1,300 members of the public joining the desperate effort to find him.

CCTV CAPTURED NOAH’S LAST KNOWN MOVEMENTS

Suffolk Police said Noah’s last confirmed sighting was captured on CCTV at approximately 2:37pm on Tuesday.

The footage showed the little boy at the playground before he was reported to have run down an alleyway beside the park towards a nearby new-build housing estate and Decoy Pond.

Police released images and CCTV of his final known movements as officers urgently appealed for information from local residents and motorists.

Noah was described as non-verbal and partially deaf, and he was undergoing an assessment for autism. Police said he would therefore not necessarily respond to his name.

At the time he disappeared, he was wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and black Vans trainers with a white stripe.

MORE THAN 1,300 PEOPLE JOINED THE SEARCH

As the hours passed, the search expanded across Brantham and the surrounding area.

Specialist police search teams were supported by HM Coastguard, Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service, the National Police Air Service, the Metropolitan Police Dive Team, Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue and ambulance personnel.

The Environment Agency also provided assistance.

But alongside the professionals came an extraordinary response from the public.

Approximately 1,300 people joined the search, with volunteers searching fields, woodland and areas surrounding the village.

People travelled from nearby communities and further afield, while local businesses and community organisations provided food, facilities and support for those involved.

The search continued through the night and into Wednesday.

THEN POLICE CORDONED OFF DECOY POND

More than 24 hours after Noah disappeared, specialist divers entered Decoy Pond as part of the continuing search.

On Wednesday afternoon, officers from the Metropolitan Police Dive Team recovered the body of a child from the water.

At first, formal identification had not taken place.

Suffolk Police said the discovery was being treated as “not suspicious but unexplained”, while Noah’s family was informed.

The news immediately brought the enormous search effort to a devastating end.

On Thursday, police confirmed that the body had been formally identified as Noah Woods, aged three.

Suffolk Police said Noah’s death is not being treated as suspicious, although detectives still have enquiries to complete before submitting a file to the Coroner.

‘THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE PAIN’

Noah’s father, Rhys Woods, later shared a heartbreaking tribute to his son.

He described Noah as the “sweetest and most innocent little boy”, saying the three-year-old had “nothing but love to give.”

The family said they were “absolutely heartbroken” and thanked the huge number of people who had come together in an attempt to bring Noah home safely.

Rhys also thanked police officers, emergency services, search volunteers, local organisations and members of the public who had given their time to help.

He said the response had shown how deeply Noah had touched people across the country.

The family’s message ended with a heartbreaking promise to their little boy — that he would be loved forever and never forgotten.

TRIBUTES APPEAR ACROSS BRANTHAM

Following the devastating confirmation, members of the community began leaving flowers, balloons, teddy bears and Bluey-themed toys near the playground where Noah was last seen.

A book of condolence was also opened in the village, while local organisations provided spaces for people to grieve and support one another.

The response reflected the extraordinary community effort that had unfolded during the search.

Suffolk Police Superintendent Tom Pearse thanked everyone involved and asked the public to now give Noah’s family the time, space and privacy they need.

He described the response as an example of the community coming together during what ultimately became a tragic situation.

For more than a day, hundreds of people searched Brantham with one hope — that Noah would be found and brought home safely.

Instead, the discovery at Decoy Pond brought a heartbreaking end to the search for the little boy whose disappearance had united an entire community.

Noah Woods was just three years old. His family now faces an unimaginable loss, while the people who searched for him are left remembering the little boy they had hoped to bring home.