Body Of Missing Teen Found In River Wear

Police divers have found the body of a teenager who went missing while swimming in the River Wear in Bishop Auckland.

Colin Dodds, 16, was playing with two friends on Saturday evening when he got into difficulty and was unable to get out of the water.

A joint operation involving police, ambulance, the fire service, the RAF and search and rescue teams was launched to find him.

A spokesman said Colin, from the Woodhouse Close Estate, was at an area of the river downhill from the town's Market Place, known locally as the "Batts".

His friends, who are also aged 16, raised the alarm at around 5.15pm when Colin failed to emerge from the river.

Three helicopters - the air ambulance, the police helicopter and a crew from RAF Boulmer in Northumberland - were involved in searches for the boy.

A Durham Police spokeswoman said an underwater search team found his body at around 4.20am.

She said: "At first light this morning, a specialist police underwater search team entered the river and at 4.20am they found a body at the bottom of a pool of water, close to where Colin's friends last saw him.

"After being recovered from the scene the body was formally identified by relatives as that of Colin."

The spokeswoman said it was believed the teenager was swimming in the river to cool down in the high temperatures.

His death is not being treated as suspicious.

She added: "It's just a tragic accident."

A post-mortem examination is expected to take place next week.