HORROR AT THE RVR: Desperate hunt for missing boy, 11, after horror witness reveals final moment he stepped into fierce water

THE ENTIRE countryside is holding its breath today as a desperate, race-against-time night search is launched to snatch an 11-year-old boy from the jaws of tragedy.

A massive rescue operation was triggered after a horrified witness revealed the chilling final moment the youngster stepped into a fierce and fast-flowing river.

The schoolboy, who has not yet been named, vanished beneath the murky depths of the River Don near Ferry Boat Lane in Mexborough, Doncaster, at around 8pm on Saturday night.

Chillingly, the youngster was seen entering the treacherous water by panicked onlookers—but he never came back up.

In a heartbreaking twist, his personal belongings were later discovered abandoned on the grassy riverbank, sparking a frantic scramble by emergency services.

Now, a multi-agency taskforce is locked in a grim battle against the clock. Specialist underwater dive units, overhead police helicopters, and high-tech drones have been deployed to scour the river throughout Sunday in a bid to find him.

Desperate families and local residents have been ordered to stay well away from the active scene as highly trained crews risk their own lives in the deep waters.

A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue laid bare the terrifying scale of the unfolding disaster.

They revealed: “Firefighters were called yesterday to assist with the search of an 11-year-old boy who had entered the water near Ferry Boat Lane, Mexborough, Doncaster.

“Crews attended to assist with the search but unfortunately were unable to locate the missing boy. Search efforts are currently still ongoing and we have a number of resources still on scene.”

The official added a grim warning to the local community: “This is an active multi-agency operation, and we ask that the public remain away from the area while the search is ongoing.”

As the hours tick away, the atmosphere in the tight-knit Yorkshire town has turned to pure dread. South Yorkshire Police confirmed that the boy’s shattered family is currently being comforted by specialist officers as they endure every parent’s worst nightmare.

A police spokesperson confirmed: “We were called to Ferry Boat Lane in Mexborough at 7.59pm yesterday to reports that an 11-year-old boy had entered the water but had not been seen getting out.

“Officers, alongside emergency crews from the National Police Air Service, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, responded and a specialist search operation remains underway. The boy’s family has been informed and is being supported by specially trained officers.”

In an emotional plea, Doncaster Response Team Inspector Neil Pryce detailed the agonising breakthrough that pointed rescuers to the exact spot where the boy vanished.

Inspector Pryce said: “We know, from witnesses and items left on the riverbank, where the boy entered the water. Utilising specialist knowledge and skills, a coordinated multi-agency operation is underway and we are doing everything we can to find this young man.

“We are invaluably assisted by an underwater search team, supported from above by the police helicopter and drones.”

But as crowds of worried locals began to gather near the cordon, the top cop issued an urgent plea for people to stay away from the dangerous riverbanks and stop filming the heartbreaking scene for social media.

Inspector Pryce warned: “This is a tragic incident and we understand that members of the public want to do all they can to help but we must ask that, for everyone’s safety, only those who are involved in our operation enter the River Don.

“To give the boy and his family the dignity they deserve, we ask that people do not spectate or film the search operation.”

The search enters a critical phase as night falls once again over the dark waters of the River Don. Fearful locals are praying for a miracle, with the community left completely reeling by the horrific weekend tragedy.

For now, the fierce river holds its secrets as rescue teams refuse to give up hope in the agonizing hunt for the missing eleven-year-old.