Police have released CCTV of the last sighting of a three-year-old boy who went missing after a visit to a playground in Suffolk.
Noah Woods, who is non-verbal autistic and partially deaf, was last seen at 3pm on Tuesday in Merriam Close in Brantham, near Manningtree, before being separated from a relative.
CCTV has been released by Suffolk Police showing Noah in the play park at 2.37pm, some 20 minutes before he then disappeared.
The young boy is believed to have run off down an alleyway beside the playground towards a new build housing estate, officers said.
He is white with curly ginger hair and was wearing a white t-shirt with the TV character Bluey on, shorts and black Vans trainers with a white stripe.
Officers from Suffolk Constabulary said they are “very concerned for Noah’s welfare and need to find him as a matter of urgency.”
Police searching for him on Wednesday cordoned off a large fishing lake nearby known as Decoy Pond and dive teams have been dispatched to the scene.
Suffolk Police say there is nothing to indicate any criminality was involved in Noah's disappearance.
Superintendent Tom Pearse said: “This is being treated as a missing person investigation at this stage and there is nothing to indicate anything sinister or any element of criminality has taken place although we keep an open mind as to the circumstances.
He added: “It has now been around 24 hours since Noah was reported as missing to us and we are doing everything we can to find him. We are extremely grateful for the support shown by the public.
“If you are helping please report into the co-ordination centre to ensure the search continues to be done in a systematic and co-ordinated fashion. This will ensure we can carefully plan and take account of people supporting the search.
“We politely ask people to avoid open waters and railways – these are areas that require specialist and professional expertise. We also ask that personal drones are not used as these can interfere with specialist search equipment.”
Superintendent Pete Partridge said earlier in a statement: “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.”
Noah’s dad Rhys Woods said he “cannot go another night knowing he is out there alone” as he made an urgent appeal to the local community.
Specially trained officers and dog units have been searching the village, located near the estuary of the River Stour, since Tuesday afternoon.
They have been supported by helicopters from the National Police Air Service and HM Coastguard, with further support on the ground provided by the Coastguard, Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service, Suffolk Lowland Search & Rescue and a vast number of members of the public.
The BBC reported more than 100 people had joined the searches on Tuesday evening, with hundreds involved on Wednesday.
Police are appealing for help to locate a missing three-year-old boy, who was last seen in the vicinity of the Merriam Close playground in Brantham this afternoon.
— Suffolk Police (@SuffolkPolice) September 15, 2026
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Police have asked local residents to thoroughly check their gardens, sheds and outbuildings or any potential areas where a child might hide.
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.
“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,” Supt. Partridge said.
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.
