Heartfelt tributes pour in for parents of 14-year-old boy who drowned in ‘dangerous river prone to flooding’

TRIBUTES have been paid to a 14-year-old boy thought to have drowned in a river in Nottinghamshire on Saturday afternoon.

Josh Boothman's body was recovered from a river in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, following reports of a missing 14-year-old boy.

Emergency services rushed to River Erewash when Josh did not re-emerge from the water.

Fire officers and ambulance crews helped search for the tragic teen, and police divers managed to recover the body within two hours.

Police cordoned off the scene at Oakfield Road in Stapleford as several emergency vehicles, including a specialist underwater team truck, attended the scene.

Nottinghamshire Police revealed they were investigating the circumstances of the 14-year-old's death in a statement released shortly after the incident.

Following the tragic discovery, a spokesman for the force said: "Nottinghamshire Police's Underwater Search Unit has this evening located the body of a young male after responding to a report that a 14-year-old boy had entered the River Erewash at Stapleford.

"The force received a call at 3.42pm to say that a boy had not re-emerged at the surface after entering the water.

"Emergency services, including police, Fire and Rescue and the East Midlands Ambulance Service were at the scene within minutes.

"During a search of the river, the body was found shortly after 5.30pm.

"Enquiries to determine the circumstances of the incident are on-going."

Neighbours close to the scene said youngsters often played in the water.

Locals paid tribute to the boy online. Jillian Turner wrote on Facebook: "Goodnight lovely boy, sleep well. Thoughts to family at this devastating time."

Diana Dennis said: "Such a sad and horrible outcome. I cannot imagine what this boy's parents and family are going through. He was only the year below my daughter at school. My thoughts are with the family at this sad time.

"Heartbreaking news."

And Keri Jeffs posted: "This is just such an unbelievable and tragic outcome. I was desperately hoping for a different outcome."

Shocked neighbours were out on the street throughout the afternoon and many were in tears about the boy's disappearance.

Ashley Crawford, 19, said: "We were just going to see friends and then we saw this huge truck come around the corner.

"I have never seen anything like it. Then we saw all the police cars and the ambulances and we were just shocked. It was scary."

One local resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "My kids live on a street near here and I was really worried it was one of them.