The body of a teenager has been found in a lake where he disappeared after being spotted in distress two days ago.
Ryan Evans, 13, disappeared after getting into difficulty while swimming in Westport lake, Stoke-on-Trent on Monday afternoon.
Expert search teams have been desperately combing the waters since then, but found his body today, Staffordshire Police confirmed.
They said two other boys, one aged 12 and another 13, got out of the water safely.
Naming the youngster as the search went on yesterday, the force said Ryan’s family were ‘distraught and devastated’.
Ryan Evans, 13, of Stoke-on-Trent was last seen swimming in Westport Lake. His body has been found in the water by search teams
Expert search teams are pictured heading into the water at Westport Lake, Stoke-on-Trent yesterday where they found Ryan Evans’s body today
A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: ‘We are sad to confirm that the body of Ryan Evans has been recovered this evening from Westport Lake following an extensive search by emergency services and underwater teams.
‘Ryan’s family have been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with them at this very difficult time. His family and friends, who were at the lake with him on Monday, are being supported by police family liaison officers.
‘We cannot thank everyone – from family, friends, members of the public, the local community and partner agencies – enough for their help and assistance. A report will be prepared for the coroner.’
A police boat is pictured searching Westport Lake in Stoke-on-Trent in a bid to find Ryan Evans
A police cordon at Westport Lake in Staffordshire where Ryan Evans disappeared on Monday
A diver is pictured searching Westport Lake in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire yesterday
A Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: ‘Our thoughts are with Ryan’s loved ones at this extremely difficult and tragic time.’
Speaking yesterday. Chief Inspector John Owen said: ‘It is a lad by the name of Ryan Evans, who’s 13 years old – he is a local male.’
He added: ‘It is something no parent should ever go through.
‘We need to make sure they (the parents) find out the information before anybody else. We’re giving them all the support they need. That’s my primary focus.’
Police searched the lake for 50 hours, where they said experts faced ‘extremely difficult conditions’ at one end of the lake.
Ryan’s tragic death comes as the heatwave, which is set to reach 91F this week, claimed two lives in two separate swimming tragedies elsewhere in Britain.