Boy's body recovered from river (From Somerset County Gazette)

Boy's body recovered from river

6:46am Wednesday 25th July 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

Police dive teams have recovered the body of a teenage boy who went missing while swimming in a river.

The 14-year-old was cooling off in a stretch of the River Avon between Bristol and Bath on Tuesday evening when he disappeared under the water and did not resurface.

A search operation involving the police, fire and ambulance service was launched at around 5.40pm before the body of the youngster, who is yet to be formally identified, was discovered around six hours later.

A spokesman for Avon and and Somerset Constabulary said: "We can confirm that the body of a 14-year-old boy was discovered by divers at around 11.30pm last night.

"His next of kin have been informed."

Emergency services were called to a stretch of the river behind the Jolly Sailor pub in Saltford where the teenager had been swimming during the hottest day of the year so far.

Great Western Ambulance Service said an ambulance, a paramedic in a rapid response vehicle and its hazardous area response team were sent to the incident while an air ambulance was put on standby.

Firefighters also attended along with Avon and Somerset's police underwater search unit.

The body is expected to be formally identified later and the coroner has been informed, police said.