'I cannot go another night knowing he's out there alone': Dad of missing Noah Woods, 3, issues desperate plea for help in search
Noah, three, was at a playground in Merriam Close in Brantham, Suffolk, at 3pm on Tuesday, when he disappeared
The dad of a missing toddler has issued a desperate plea for help in the search saying he "can't go another night knowing he’s out there alone".
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Noah Woods, three, has been missing since Tuesday after disappearing from a playground in Brantham, Suffolk just after 3pm.
The toddler is partially deaf and non-verbal. Up to 1,000 people have joined the search efforts for Noah.
His dad has issued a heartfelt plea for volunteers to continue expanding their search on social media, saying it is now believed Noah may have travelled further than initially feared.
Rhys Woods posted: "Thank every single one of you who have taken part in the search for our boy Noah. To clear things up because people really do make up their own stories, he is only mildly autistic and has partial hearing loss, he is fully capable of everyday tasks.
Read More: LIVE updates: Noah Woods, 3, still missing as search enters second day
"We still have nothing, all the emergency services and all of you have shown how strong this community is, with people coming from far and wide (...).
"The emergency services are very confident that the high risk areas (Decoy pond, railway lines) are all clear.
"This means knowing our boy, he has gone even further, could I ask that all of you brilliant people out there today expand further if you are able to? Reference where I have outlined, and maybe even further than this,
"I cannot go another night knowing he’s out there alone, please don’t give up on him guys. He is out there somewhere and I appreciate every single one of you."
Mr Woods posted a photo of an area marked in red where he wanted people to search.
Noah, three, was at a playground in Merriam Close in Brantham, Suffolk, at 3pm on Tuesday.
He ran down an alleyway towards a new-build estate, according to reports, and he has not been seen since. He is said to have run off toward a new build housing estate, which is located near a large fishing lake known as Decoy Pond.
He is described as white, with curly ginger hair and wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and white trainers.
Hundreds of people are thought to have joined searches on Tuesday evening.
Residents in the area have been asked to check all gardens, sheds and outbuildings for the child.
Emergency services, including the coastguard, are conducting the search.
HM Coastguard said in a statement: "HM Coastguard assisted Suffolk Constabulary with an incident at Brantham by sending an HM Coastguard helicopter and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Felixstowe and Holbrook."
Anyone with private CCTV or doorbell cameras in the village, or who were driving through the area with a dashcam, are asked to review the footage from 3pm yesterday afternoon onwards for any possible sightings of Noah.
Superintendent Pete Partridge said in a statement: “We are very concerned for Noah’s welfare and need to find him as a matter of urgency.
“A vast number of resources have been deployed by ourselves, our emergency services colleagues and volunteers from SULSAR. These resources have been bolstered by members of the public who have turned out in large numbers to assist and we are incredibly grateful for their help and support.
“Given that fast-moving nature of the investigation, it is important that any public searches are coordinated with police to ensure we are working together, and that our resources are directed where they can be most effective.”
He asked local residents not to “put themselves at risk or undertake independent searches overnight”, adding: “We will continue to keep Noah’s family and the public updated on the progress of our searches and investigation.”
In a Facebook post just after 5am on Wednesday, Brantham Parish Council said there had been no confirmed sightings of Noah.
“The search for Noah continues this morning,” the post said.
“If you are able to help with the search today, please keep safe and take care of yourselves. Search in pairs where possible, wear high-vis clothing and take extra care around roads, water, woodland and other potentially dangerous areas. Please take a fully charged mobile phone with you.
“Please also check your own property thoroughly, including gardens, sheds, garages, outbuildings, vehicles and under or behind furniture.“If the police ask you to move away from an area, please follow their instructions. This may be to allow specialist search activity to take place.”
Anyone who thinks they have seen Noah is asked to contact Suffolk Police, quoting CAD 203 of 15 September.