Lancashire Police have recovered a body believed to be that of a 12-year-old boy who went missing while swimming in the River Ribble. The boy was reported missing after getting into difficulty with friends on Tuesday afternoon.
A large-scale search operation was launched shortly after 2pm, involving officers from Lancashire Police's underwater search unit, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, and the North-West Ambulance Service. An air ambulance was also dispatched to the scene.
The body was recovered from the river around 7.50pm on Tuesday. While formal identification has not yet taken place, police believe it to be the missing boy. His family are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers.
Police have stated that the death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be passed to HM Coroner in due course. A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: 'Our thoughts are very much with his loved ones at this extremely distressing time.'
