Charlie Jones
at Brantham Village Hall

At least 500 people have left from the village hall this morning in groups of 10, according to Brantham Parish Council.

As new volunteers continue to arrive, Sarah Keys from the council keeps briefing them, every half an hour.

Image source, Charlie Jones/BBC

Groups of people are being sent out to search areas away from the village. Those who who have driven are being allocated areas to search further away."Remember you are looking for a frighteend three-year-old," she says. "If you find him, do not approach him but call 999. Do not draw attention to yourselves because we don't want crowds to scare him."Use all of your senses, thoroughly check your gardens, sheds and outbuildings.

"Look in small spaces. If you have private CCTV or a doorbell camera please review the footage."

Nick Johnson
Reporting from Brantham

The community around this small village of Brantham is out in force trying, looking for any trace of three-year-old Noah Woods.

The road outside the playground where he was last seen is filled with cars as people arrive to join the search effort.

A police helicopter overhead is hovering over a rural area near a river and railway tracks to the east of the village.

Tim Passmore, Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk, said his heart went out to the friends and family of Noah Woods.

Speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk, he urged people wanting to join the ongoing searches not to go out alone and to get direction from those co-ordinating the response.

"As time goes by I really hope we can get some good news," he said. "I can't think of anything worse than a poor little three-year-old lad going missing and not being found.

"My thoughts are prayers are with all the people involved and I really hope he gets found very, very quickly."

Zoie O'Brien

Posters appealing for information about missing Noah Woods can now be seen in the Brantham area.

Image source, Zoie O'Brien/BBC

Charlie Jones
at Brantham Village Hall

Image source, BBC/Charlie Jones

Mother-of-two Isa has come down to Brantham to help with the search efforts this morning.

"It's a very emotional thing," she says. "As a mum, you picture yourself in the family's shoes.

"There are so many parents here helping and there is a huge local mums network on WhatsApp where we are all speaking and just doing whatever we can."

Image source, Contributed

A major incident public portal has been set up for people to submit any information, external regarding missing Noah Woods to the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk investigation team.

Residents are being asked to thoroughly check their gardens, sheds and outbuildings, or any potential areas where a child might hide.

People with CCTV or doorbell cameras have been asked to review the footage from 15:00 BST on Tuesday onwards for possible sightings. Motorists travelling through the village have also been asked to check their dashcam footage.

Anyone who believes they have seen Noah is being asked to get in touch with Suffolk Police immediately.

James Cartlidge, the Conservative MP for South Suffolk, which covers Brantham, has posted on X, external: "Incredibly concerning to hear about three-year-old Noah, missing from Brantham since 3pm yesterday.

"I simply can't imagine what his family and loved ones are going through, but they will be in the thoughts of us all.

"I've spoken to Suffolk Police and like me, they're incredibly grateful to the community and all of the volunteers for their help with the search for missing Noah.

"The police are sending more resources to Brantham this morning."

Charlie Jones
at Brantham Village Hall

So many volunteers have turned up here at Brantham Village Hall to help in the search for Noah that there is a queue of people outside the door.

They have run out of high-vis vests.

Lauren White, who is helping co-ordinate the efforts, says: "The response from the community has been unbelievable. There are hundreds and hundreds of people who have been involved."

Image source, BBC/Charlie Jones

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."