Boy pulled from river remains critically ill

A 13-year-old boy remains in a critical condition after he got into difficulty in a river alongside a 14-year-old boy who was later found dead.

The older boy's body was found after an extensive search in the River Tyne near Ovingham Bridge, Northumberland, on Saturday.

The younger child was rescued from the water and taken to hospital, Northumbria Police said.

The parents of both boys are being supported by specially-trained officers.

Ch Supt Helena Barron, from Northumbria Police, said: "This is an absolutely tragic incident and our thoughts are with the families of both boys at this difficult time as we continue to support them."

Flowers have been laid close to where the boy died.

Red and white roses were placed on a path on the north side of the river. No card was left with the flowers.

A nearby tree, believed to have had a rope swing attached to it, has also been cut down.

Emergency services were deployed at about 15:30 BST on Saturday due to concerns for the welfare of two teenagers who were seen in the river near the bridge.

Fire crews joined teams from North East Ambulance Service, Great North Air Ambulance (GNAAS) and Northumbria Police in the search.

The incident follows the death of Robert Hattersley, 13, from Crawcrook, Gateshead, who died after getting into difficulty in the Tyne near Ovingham in July 2022.

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