Search for missing boy on Crosby beach stood down after 15 hours

The frantic search for a 14-year-old boy reported missing in the River Mersey has been stood down.

Emergency services were called to Crosby Beach at around 7pm yesterday following reports the teenager had vanished while swimming with his friends near the radar tower.

The call-out sparked a huge response from police, fire and rescue services, the coastguard and the RNLI, who remained in the area this morning, July 1. The path to the radar tower was closed off and police officers directed passers-by away from the area as the search continued.

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It has now been confirmed by the coastguard that the search has been stood down after 15 hours.

A HM Coastguard spokesman said: "The search for a person reported missing in the Crosby Beach area on June 30 was stood down, pending further information, at about 10am on July 1."

The RNLI said: "A number of RNLI lifeboats were involved in a multi-agency search for a missing person in the Crosby Beach area. This morning, New Brighton RNLI’s inshore lifeboat and Lytham St Annes all-weather lifeboat were tasked at 5.15am and 5.30am.

"This morning’s search followed on from yesterday evening (June 30) when at approximately 6.41pm, New Brighton’s inshore lifeboat was requested to launch to conduct a search followed by Hoylake’s all-weather lifeboat at 7.50pm."

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