Conley Thompson: body found in search for seven-year-old

Police searching for a seven-year-old boy, who went missing from a local park in Barnsley last night, have discovered a child's body at a construction site close to his home.

Conley Thompson was said to have gone to Locke Park, on the outskirts of Barnsley, West Yorkshire, to play with his friends at about 6pm yesterday evening. He left the park at 8pm but never returned to his home in Underwood Avenue, Worsbrough, a two-mile walk from the park.

After searching through the night, police found the body of a child on a construction site not far from Conley's house this morning.

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"Formal identification of the body is yet to take place. However it is believed to be that of Conley," said South Yorkshire Police. "His family have been informed and they are being supported by specialist officers."

Detective Inspector Victoria Short, who is leading the investigation, said: "We deployed our full resources with officers searching throughout the night to find Conley and we are deeply saddened by this tragic development.

"While it is early in the investigation, the death is being treated as unexplained and a post-mortem will take place in due course."

Around 50 officers, along with a police helicopter, took part in the search to find Conley, who was wearing a blue checked shirt, red shoes and brown trousers when he disappeared.

Today forensic experts were seen working at the building site, which has been cordoned off by police.

One neighbour told the Daily Mail: "I can't imagine what the family must be going through. It's just unbelievable. He was just a kid who liked playing out in the street."

Another said the "whole community is in shock".