Image source, Family handout

Noah Woods had been visiting a playground in Merriam Close in Brantham on Tuesday with a relative.

They became separated as they left at 15:00 BST and he's reported to have run off down an alleyway beside the playground towards a new-build housing estate.

The three-year-old is described by police as white, with curly ginger hair and is said to be wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and black Vans trainers with a white stripe.

He is non-verbal, has partial hearing loss and is undergoing an assessment for autism.

Suffolk Police said he would not respond to his name being called.

Charlie Jones
at Brantham Village Hall

We've just heard a briefing here at Brantham Village Hall, where hundreds of people have turned up to help.

Sarah Keys, from Brantham Parish Council, asked the volunteers not to approach Noah if they see him. He is partially deaf, non-verbal and is soon to be assessed for autism.

"If you see Noah, we need a gentle approach," she said. "Do not grab him, it might scare him. Please call 999 and tell them where you are."

Volunteers are being asked to download What Three Words to pinpoint their exact location.

Charlie Jones
at Brantham Village Hall

Image source, Charlie Jones/BBC

Sarah Keys, clerk of Brantham Parish Council, has been briefing volunteers at Brantham Village Hall.

This morning the search is split into two teams, those able to cover footpaths and rough terrain and others more comfortable on estates.

She has asked people to avoid areas around the Taylor Wimpey estate and areas down to Factory Lane as the police are searching those places with specialised teams.

She said: "Please stay safe and work at least in pairs if not in groups. Do not put yourself at any risk, no heroics. We don't want to be rescuing anyone else today.

"We need to focus on finding Noah."

Keys has also told volunteers not to go on the railway line and to avoid the Decoy Pond area.

Image source, Jamie Niblock/BBC

Three-year-old Noah Woods had been visiting a playground in Merriam Close in Brantham with a relative when he went missing on Tuesday.

He became separated from the relative when they left at about 15:00 BST, and he is reported to have run off down an alleyway beside the playground towards a new-build housing estate.

Searches began on Tuesday, going into the night and have continued on Wednesday.

Image source, Jamie Niblock/BBC

Charlie Jones
at Brantham Village Hall

Image source, Charlie Jones/BBC

Here at Brantham Village Hall, it is packed out with people waiting to hear a briefing from the police.

The atmosphere is quite tense. Mums are arriving with babies in carriers and prams, dog walkers are here and everyone is pitching in to do whatever they can to help the search.

As reported a short time ago, the search area for volunteers has now widened to also include East Bergholt and Manningtree.

This map shows where they are in relation to where Noah was last seen - at Merriam Close playground in Brantham.

Charlie Jones
at Brantham Village Hall

Image source, Charlie Jones/BBC

Melissa Dark, a local mother of two who is on maternity leave from her work in major incidents for the police, has just arrived.

She is helping the police officers here co-ordinate the searches and is writing a briefing note that will be read out at 09:30 to volunteers.

"I just saw the news and needed to come down and help," she said.

"I've bought my six-month-old baby here. We're all just pulling together and doing whatever we can to find him."

Image source, Luke Deal/BBC

Sarah Keys, the clerk of Brantham Parish Council, has been at Brantham Village Hall since 16:00 BST on Tuesday afternoon to help co-ordinate the search efforts.

She said the community had been "flooded" with people wanting to help and could not commend the emergency services enough for their responsiveness and support.

She said: "Every parent in the country is thinking that could have been my child.

"I hope that what Noah's parents will see is a community that are really there for them. We are really pushing to try and find their little boy and I hope they are feeling supported and loved by that response.

"We are hopeful today is the day that Noah is going to get returned home safely."

Charlie Jones
at Brantham Village Hall

Image source, Charlie Jones/BBC

Policing team Sgt Claire Connick has just told volunteers here at Brantham Village Hall to widen their searches away from the village.

She asked people to avoid the village centre, suggesting people go further afield to nearby villages of East Bergholt and Manningtree and working their way back.

Zoie O'Brien
in Brantham

Volunteer searchers are currently being briefed at the leisure centre by Sarah Keys, the clerk of Brantham Parish Council. A group are setting off now.

Image source, Zoie O'Brien/BBC

Image source, Luke Deal/BBC

Mal Bridgeman, chairman of Brantham Parish Council, has also helped with the search for Noah.

"I am astonished, warmed, to see so much generosity and spirit from people," he said. "Everyone wants to help, everyone wants to do their bit.

"There's been people out all night, we have had people come this morning as far a field as Birmingham, we've had specialists from Hampshire, just moved by Noah's story to come and help.

"We are expecting a huge police presence in the village today and there will also be community support officers to help bridge the gap between the police and the community."

Charlie Jones
in Brantham

Image source, Charlie Jones/BBC

I’m here at Brantham Village Hall, the epicentre of the search for Noah.

People have been arriving from across the country to help, from as far away as Hampshire and Birmingham, joining hundreds of local parents, residents and community volunteers searching the area.

There is a remarkable sense of determination here, with people continuing to turn up and ask how they can help.

Search teams are being organised here at the village hall, while volunteers head out into the surrounding area.

For many here, it is deeply personal - many parents and people who know the family are among those joining the effort, united by the hope of finding missing Noah.

Suffolk Police has asked residents to thoroughly check their gardens, sheds, outbuildings or any potential areas where a child might hide.

It has also urged people with CCTV or doorbell cameras to review the footage from 15:00 BST on Tuesday onwards for any possible sightings.

There are currently no reported sightings of Noah since he left the playground.

Motorists who drove through the village since yesterday have been asked to check their dashcams for footage.

Image source, Luke Deal/BBC

Lara English got involved in the search efforts last night after seeing the news and reports on social media.

She said the village was "flooded with hundreds of cars and people" helping.

"It was very co-ordinated as they split us up into teams and drivers to look at different locations," she said. "I would say the police were brilliant and the water and helicopter crew - it was very thorough what they were doing."

Lara said she spent three hours helping to search parts of the village including the playing field through to the new housing estate.

"There was a lot of spirit and hope with everyone but as well, it's just devastating to even be doing this, but we have a lot of hope."

Supt Pete Partridge, from Suffolk Police, released this statement in the early hours of Wednesday morning:

"We are very concerned for Noah's welfare and need to find him as a matter of urgency.

"A vast number of resources have been deployed by ourselves, our emergency services colleagues and volunteers from SULSAR (Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue). 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.

"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.

"We therefore ask that people do not put themselves at risk or undertake independent searches overnight.

"We will continue to keep Noah's family and the public updated on the progress of our searches and investigation.

"We know that people want to help and so we are urging local residents to carefully read our requests to check their gardens and outbuildings and review any CCTV or dashcam footage as a priority.

"Anyone who believes they have seen Noah is asked to contact us immediately."

Image source, Family handout

On Tuesday afternoon three-year-old Noah Woods went missing in the village of Brantham, in Suffolk. Here's what we know so far:

• Noah had been with a relative at a playground in Merriam Close in Brantham on Tuesday. However, he "became separated" as they left at about 15:00 BST
• It is reported that the boy ran off down an alleyway beside the playground towards a new-build housing estate
• Noah is said to be non-verbal, has partial hearing loss and is undergoing an assessment for autism. He is described by police as being white with curly ginger hair and was said to have been wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and black Vans trainers with a white stripe
• Suffolk Police has been searching throughout the night with specially trained officers and dog units
• The force has also been supported by HM Coastguard, the fire service and Suffolk Lowland Search & Rescue
• Hundreds of members of the public have also helped with the search, but police have asked for all efforts to be co-ordinated by the force

We'll bring you updates throughout the day as police and members of the public continue to search for Noah Woods, who went missing from Brantham in Suffolk on Tuesday afternoon.