Body found in search for missing boy, 12, last seen swimming in Yorkshire river

Rescue teams have recovered a body following search efforts near Richmond Falls on the River Swale

Richmond Falls, a series of waterfalls on the River Swale, is a popular beauty spot - but on Saturday, it was centre of a search operation for a 12-year-old boy (Google Maps)

A body has been found in the search for a missing 12-year-old boy who was last seen swimming in a Yorkshire river on Saturday evening.

North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and specialist search and rescue teams launched a search operation after reports were received that the boy had been seen entering the water in Richmond, near Darlington, at 5pm.

Efforts were said to be focussed on an area around Richmond Falls, which is a series of waterfalls along the River Swale.

Sadly search teams recovered a child’s body from the water at 10.45pm on Saturday, police confirmed.

A police statement said: “The body is yet to be identified but the boy's family have been informed and are receiving support from specially-trained officers.”

The death is not being treated as suspicious.