Summary

Live Reporting

Written by Neve Gordon-Farleigh. Edited by Richard Haugh

  1. 'He looked happy and healthy as anything,' says worker

    Nick Johnson
    Reporting from Brantham

    Michael Crowley wears a hi-vis crew neck jumper while standing on a residential road.

    Michael Crowley says he was working opposite the playground where Noah went missing yesterday and saw him playing.

    He describes the three-year-old boy and another person playing happily on the swings at about 15:00. Police have said Noah was with a relative at the playground.

    When he got home and heard the news, Michael saw the picture of Noah Woods and said he immediately knew that’s who he saw in the playground.

    “He looked as happy and healthy as anything,” he said.

  2. Watch: Searches continue in Brantham

    Update from the scene on Wednesday morning

  3. Police conduct door-to-door inquiries in Brantham

    Mark Allison
    in Brantham

    A photograph of six police officers all dressed in black carrying out door to door inquiries.Mark Allison/BBC

    I'm near the alleyway where Noah was last seen yesterday. Police have taped off access to the public while their specialised teams search the surrounding woodland.

    Officers are also going door-to-door at the nearby Taylor Wimpey housing estate, asking if people have checked their doorbell cameras, gardens and any outbuildings.

    A female police officer, who has her back to the camera, is standing outside in front of a cordoned off area which has been taped off with blue and white police tape.Mark Allison/BBC

  4. 'Remember you are looking for a frightened child,' volunteers told

    Charlie Jones
    at Brantham Village Hall

    At least 500 people have left from the village hall this morning in groups of 10, according to Brantham Parish Council.

    As new volunteers continue to arrive, Sarah Keys from the council keeps briefing them, every half an hour.

    Sarah Keys in front of volunteersCharlie Jones/BBC

    Groups of people are being sent out to search areas away from the village. Those who who have driven are being allocated areas to search further away.

    "Remember you are looking for a frightened three-year-old," she says.

    "If you find him, do not approach him but call 999. Do not draw attention to yourselves because we don't want crowds to scare him.

    "Use all of your senses, thoroughly check your gardens, sheds and outbuildings.

    "Look in small spaces. If you have private CCTV or a doorbell camera please review the footage."

  5. Road outside playground filled with people joining search effort

    Nick Johnson
    Reporting from Brantham

    Several individuals stand in a residential road with their backs to the camera. A playground is visible in the background.

    The community around this small village of Brantham is out in force trying, looking for any trace of three-year-old Noah Woods.

    The road outside the playground where he was last seen is filled with cars as people arrive to join the search effort.

    A police helicopter overhead is hovering over a rural area near a river and railway tracks to the east of the village.

  6. 'I really hope we get some good news', says PCC

    Tim Passmore, Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk, said his heart went out to the friends and family of Noah Woods.

    Speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk, he urged people wanting to join the ongoing searches not to go out alone and to get direction from those co-ordinating the response.

    "As time goes by I really hope we can get some good news," he said. "I can't think of anything worse than a poor little three-year-old lad going missing and not being found.

    "My thoughts are prayers are with all the people involved and I really hope he gets found very, very quickly."

  7. Missing child posters circulated

    Zoie O'Brien

    Posters appealing for information about missing Noah Woods can now be seen in the Brantham area.

    Poster saying 'Missing child: Noah, age 3'Zoie O'Brien/BBC

  8. 'Mums have come out in force' says volunteer

    Charlie Jones
    at Brantham Village Hall

    A woman is outside Brantham Village Hall, holding a babyBBC/Charlie Jones

    Mother-of-two Isa has come down to Brantham to help with the search efforts this morning.

    "It's a very emotional thing," she says. "As a mum, you picture yourself in the family's shoes.

    "There are so many parents here helping and there is a huge local mums network on WhatsApp where we are all speaking and just doing whatever we can."

  9. Police set up portal for information on missing Noah

    Noah Woods is eating an ice lollyContributed

    A major incident public portal has been set up for people to submit any information regarding missing Noah Woods to the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk investigation team.

    Residents are being asked to thoroughly check their gardens, sheds and outbuildings, or any potential areas where a child might hide.

    People with CCTV or doorbell cameras have been asked to review the footage from 15:00 BST on Tuesday onwards for possible sightings. Motorists travelling through the village have also been asked to check their dashcam footage.

    Anyone who believes they have seen Noah is being asked to get in touch with Suffolk Police immediately.

  10. MP describes disappearance as 'incredibly concerning'

    James Cartlidge, the Conservative MP for South Suffolk, which covers Brantham, has posted on X: "Incredibly concerning to hear about three-year-old Noah, missing from Brantham since 3pm yesterday.

    "I simply can't imagine what his family and loved ones are going through, but they will be in the thoughts of us all.

    "I've spoken to Suffolk Police and like me, they're incredibly grateful to the community and all of the volunteers for their help with the search for missing Noah.

    "The police are sending more resources to Brantham this morning."

  11. Volunteers queueing outside the village hall

    Charlie Jones
    at Brantham Village Hall

    So many volunteers have turned up here at Brantham Village Hall to help in the search for Noah that there is a queue of people outside the door.

    They have run out of high-vis vests.

    Lauren White, who is helping co-ordinate the efforts, says: "The response from the community has been unbelievable. There are hundreds and hundreds of people who have been involved."

    BBCBBC/Charlie Jones

  12. What do we know about Noah?

    Three-year-old Noah Woods. A boy who is photographed sitting on a bed with a grey headboard and he is looking directly at the camera and smiling.Family handout

    Noah Woods had been visiting a playground in Merriam Close in Brantham on Tuesday with a relative.

    They became separated as they left at 15:00 BST and he's reported to have run off down an alleyway beside the playground towards a new-build housing estate.

    The three-year-old is described by police as white, with curly ginger hair and is said to be wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and black Vans trainers with a white stripe.

    He is non-verbal, has partial hearing loss and is undergoing an assessment for autism.

    Suffolk Police said he would not respond to his name being called.

  13. Watch: Police statement from Tuesday night

    Police give update on search for three-year-old

  14. Volunteers asked 'not to grab Noah'

    Charlie Jones
    at Brantham Village Hall

    A busy room of volunteers

    We've just heard a briefing here at Brantham Village Hall, where hundreds of people have turned up to help.

    Sarah Keys, from Brantham Parish Council, asked the volunteers not to approach Noah if they see him. He is partially deaf, non-verbal and is soon to be assessed for autism.

    "If you see Noah, we need a gentle approach," she said. "Do not grab him, it might scare him. Please call 999 and tell them where you are."

    Volunteers are being asked to download What Three Words to pinpoint their exact location.

    Three women - the one in the middle is holding a laptop open

    Sarah Keys (centre) with other volunteers co-ordinating the search, Melissa Dark (left) and Lauren White (right)

  15. Volunteers told 'no heroics' as searches continue

    Charlie Jones
    at Brantham Village Hall

    People sitting inside Brantham Village Hall listening to a briefing by Sarah Keys who is stood at the front speaking in front of the groupCharlie Jones/BBC

    Sarah Keys, clerk of Brantham Parish Council, has been briefing volunteers at Brantham Village Hall.

    This morning the search is split into two teams, those able to cover footpaths and rough terrain and others more comfortable on estates.

    She has asked people to avoid areas around the Taylor Wimpey estate and areas down to Factory Lane as the police are searching those places with specialised teams.

    She said: "Please stay safe and work at least in pairs if not in groups. Do not put yourself at any risk, no heroics. We don't want to be rescuing anyone else today.

    "We need to focus on finding Noah."

    Keys has also told volunteers not to go on the railway line and to avoid the Decoy Pond area.

  16. Where did Noah go missing?

    A playground at Merriam Close in Brantham. An area has been cordoned off with blue and white police tape.Jamie Niblock/BBC

    Three-year-old Noah Woods had been visiting a playground in Merriam Close in Brantham with a relative when he went missing on Tuesday.

    He became separated from the relative when they left at about 15:00 BST, and he is reported to have run off down an alleyway beside the playground towards a new-build housing estate.

    Searches began on Tuesday, going into the night and have continued on Wednesday.

    A playground with houses in the backgroundJamie Niblock/BBC

  17. Everyone is pitching in

    Charlie Jones
    at Brantham Village Hall

    Groups of people in Brantham Village Hall. Some people are sitting down at wooden tables whereas others are standing round the perimeter of the hall.Charlie Jones/BBC

    Here at Brantham Village Hall, it is packed out with people waiting to hear a briefing from the police.

    The atmosphere is quite tense. Mums are arriving with babies in carriers and prams, dog walkers are here and everyone is pitching in to do whatever they can to help the search.

  18. Search area expanded after police work through night

    As reported a short time ago, the search area for volunteers has now widened to also include East Bergholt and Manningtree.

    This map shows where they are in relation to where Noah was last seen - at Merriam Close playground in Brantham.

    Map showing Brantham, with East Bergholt to the west and Manningtree to the south

  19. 'I needed to come and help,' says local mum

    Charlie Jones
    at Brantham Village Hall

    A woman with glasses is holding a piece of paper and a pen. A group of other people are behind herCharlie Jones/BBC

    Melissa Dark, a local mother of two who is on maternity leave from her work in major incidents for the police, has just arrived.

    She is helping the police officers here co-ordinate the searches and is writing a briefing note that will be read out at 09:30 to volunteers.

    "I just saw the news and needed to come down and help," she said.

    "I've bought my six-month-old baby here. We're all just pulling together and doing whatever we can to find him."

  20. 'That could have been my child'

    Sarah Keys standing inside Brantham Village Hall. She is looking at the camera and is wearing a green T-shirt with a jacket over the top. Behind her at tables are chairs.Luke Deal/BBC

    Sarah Keys, the clerk of Brantham Parish Council, has been at Brantham Village Hall since 16:00 BST on Tuesday afternoon to help co-ordinate the search efforts.

    She said the community had been "flooded" with people wanting to help and could not commend the emergency services enough for their responsiveness and support.

    She said: "Every parent in the country is thinking that could have been my child.

    "I hope that what Noah's parents will see is a community that are really there for them. We are really pushing to try and find their little boy and I hope they are feeling supported and loved by that response.

    "We are hopeful today is the day that Noah is going to get returned home safely."