Police searching for a 14-year-old boy who went missing while swimming with friends have reported that a body has been found by the coastguard. Daniel Halliday was swept away by a strong current in the River Mersey on June 30, despite his older sibling's desperate attempts to save him.
Merseyside Police confirmed that the coastguard discovered a body off the coast of New Brighton on Monday night. The force stated that formal identification has not yet taken place, but officers remain in contact with Daniel's family.
Emergency services were called to the waterside at Waterloo, Merseyside, at around 7pm on June 30 after reports of a missing teenager. Daniel had been swimming near a radar tower on Crosby Beach with his brother and friends when he was separated from them.
A multi-agency search, involving HM Coastguard, police, and the North West Ambulance Service, lasted 15 hours but failed to locate the teenager. Daniel's family, supported by specially trained police officers, expressed their devastation, stating: 'Our worst fear is that this tragic accident has taken our lovely boy from us.'
They added: 'Daniel was jumping waves with his big brother, who tried to save him, but the current was too strong. Daniel is a loving son, brother, cousin, nephew and grandson. The family are all devastated, and we hope that we will be allowed our privacy at this time.'
