A body has been recovered from a river after a 12-year-old boy went missing while swimming with friends during a record-breaking heatwave that reached 35°C.

The boy and his friends got into difficulty in the River Ribble in Ribchester, Lancashire, yesterday.

Emergency services were called to the scene following reports of concern for a child’s welfare. A large-scale search operation was launched, involving fire crews and underwater search units.

Tragically, a body was recovered from the water at around 8pm, police confirmed.

Formal identification has not yet taken place, but officers believe it is the body of the missing 12-year-old. His family is being supported by specially trained family liaison officers.

In a statement, Lancashire Police said: “The boy, aged 12, had got into difficulty while swimming with friends in the river.

“A large-scale search involving officers from Lancashire Police’s underwater search unit and colleagues from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service was launched, with support from North-West Ambulance Service.

“Very sadly, a body was recovered from the river around 7.50pm. While formal identification has not yet taken place, we believe it to be the body of the missing boy.

“His family are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers, and our thoughts are with his loved ones at this extremely distressing time.”

This incident comes after a series of tragic deaths involving young people who got into difficulty in water at popular beauty spots over the Bank Holiday weekend amid the intense heat.

In separate incidents, five teenagers died in the days leading up to and including the holiday:

15-year-old Declan Sawyer was found by police on 24 May after an extensive search of Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln.
15-year-old Abbie Carmody-Pepper went missing at Burrow Beach in Howth, Dublin, after entering the water with friends.
A 16-year-old girl was pulled from Kingsbury Water Park in Warwickshire on Monday evening and was pronounced dead at the scene.
13-year-old Reco Puttock was rescued from Leadbeater Dam in Halifax, West Yorkshire, but later died in hospital. His mother, Sam Puttock, paid tribute to her son, describing him as close to his siblings, especially his big sister, and someone who loved spending time with friends.
Another teenage boy was found dead after emergency services responded to reports of a missing boy at Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Monday evening.

Additional fatalities were also reported over the weekend:

A man died following a medical incident on Warrior Square in St Leonards, Hastings, East Sussex, on Sunday.
A 34-year-old man was pronounced dead at Barmouth Beach in North Wales on Monday. A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.
A man in his 60s from Cornwall died after going into cardiac arrest at Tregirls Beach in Padstow while attempting to save two family members. The family members were rescued by members of the public.

The warm weather also led to disorder at several beaches. Violence broke out in both Bournemouth and Brighton, with large crowds descending on the coastal towns.

In Brighton, a teenager was stabbed during a large fight on the seafront. Police confirmed his injuries were superficial. In Bournemouth, officers were assaulted amid disorder involving a large group of people on the beach at Undercliff Drive.