Topic Lifecycle: Dormant
This topic is currently dormant in the news cycle. It was last covered on Friday 25 September 2026 and has not appeared in recent broadcasts.
Coverage trend (last 30 days)
How much coverage this topic got from each channel over the past month.
On screen
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Recent stories
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What was reported
A plain summary of this topic, built from the channels that covered it.
An inquest has heard that three-year-old Noah Woods left a play area through a gap in the fence in Suffolk before going missing earlier this month. ITV1 and BBC ONE West reported that he became separated from a relative at a play park in Brantham, and that his disappearance prompted a search effort involving more than 1,000 people. His body was found in a nearby lake or pond the following day. ITV1 reported that Noah went down a path towards Decoy Pond, with a relative following and trying to keep up before losing sight of him after about 200 metres. BBC ONE West reported that the relative shouted after him and that Noah could no longer be seen after around 200 metres, and that Noah was partially deaf with delayed speech. ITV1 reported that Noah's body was found five metres off the bank of the lake within submerged tree roots. BBC ONE West reported that the body was around five metres from the shore and that the water there was about 1.8 metres deep. ITV1 reported that the cause of death is yet to be confirmed, that Noah was last seen just after 2.30pm on 15 September, and that his death was confirmed by paramedics around 4.30pm the following day. BBC ONE West reported that Noah had got out through the gap in the fence, which led to a memorial garden, and from there left through an open gate. ITV1 reported that the play park became a memorial site with flowers, balloons and toys. ITV1 reported that the family were not at the inquest and issued a statement. Both ITV1 and BBC ONE West reported the family describing Noah as a happy, cheeky, playful three-year-old who loved to laugh and giggle and brought joy wherever he went. ITV1 reported the family added that they wanted his memory to be one of joy. BBC ONE West reported that the inquest was opened and adjourned to a later date.
Key Claims by Channel
Wednesday 16 September 2026
| Claim |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widely reported · 6 or more of 7 channels | |||||||
| Police divers recovered a child's body from Decoy Pond. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by Channel 4 | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News | |||
| Reported by a few · 2–5 channels | |||||||
| Noah was last seen running down an alleyway towards a new building housing estate. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | |||
| Noah is non-verbal and has partial hearing loss. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | |||
| Hundreds or possibly thousands of volunteers joined the search. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News | ||
| A nearby lake has been cordoned off by police. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News | |
| Noah Woods is three years old. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Noah went missing from a playground in Brantham, Suffolk. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Police said Noah will not respond to his name being called. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| The search involves police, fire and rescue, Coast Guard, helicopters and volunteers. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| The last confirmed sighting of Noah was at 2.37pm in the playground. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| CCTV footage showing Noah in the playground has been released. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Police are focusing searches on areas containing water, including a lake and pond. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Volunteers are being coordinated in groups of 10. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Residents were asked to check gardens, sheds and doorbell cameras or video footage. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Noah's father urged people not to give up on him. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by Sky News | ||
| Police said there is nothing to indicate any element of criminality. | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News | |||
| Noah's family had been informed of the development, but formal identification was still pending. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | ||
| Noah remained missing for around 24 hours with no sightings since the previous afternoon. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by Sky News | |
| Only on one channel | |||||||
| Local MP James Cartlidge said police are sending more resources to Brantham. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Police thanked the public for their support. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The coroner will be informed. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Volunteers were advised to avoid open water and hazardous areas. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| The death is not suspicious but unexplained. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Noah was reported to be autistic and non-verbal. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
Thursday 17 September 2026
| Claim | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widely reported · 6 or more of 7 channels | |||||||
| Police said there is nothing to indicate any element of criminality. | Reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Reported by Channel 4 | Reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Police divers recovered a child's body from Decoy Pond. | Reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Reported by Channel 4 | Reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | |
| Reported by a few · 2–5 channels | |||||||
| Noah is non-verbal and has partial hearing loss. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Hundreds or possibly thousands of volunteers joined the search. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | |
| A nearby lake has been cordoned off by police. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| The last confirmed sighting of Noah was at 2.37pm in the playground. | Reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Noah's father urged people not to give up on him. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Noah's family had been informed of the development, but formal identification was still pending. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Police thanked the public for their support. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Noah Woods, a three year old boy, went missing from a playground in Brantham, Suffolk on Tuesday afternoon. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Only on one channel | |||||||
| Volunteers were advised to avoid open water and hazardous areas. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| A GoFundMe page for Noah's family exceeded its target of £20,000. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Flowers, soft toys and other tributes were left in memory of Noah. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Police said they were keeping an open mind about the disappearance. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| The death is not suspicious but unexplained. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Noah was reported to be autistic and non-verbal. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
Friday 25 September 2026
| Claim | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widely reported · 6 or more of 7 channels | |||||||
| Police divers recovered a child's body from Decoy Pond. | Reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Reported by Channel 4 | Reported by GB News | Reported by Sky News | ||
| A large search operation for Noah involved hundreds to around 1,300 volunteers, including people from across the country, along with police, helicopters and the Coast Guard, and focused on areas including a large pond and wooded area beyond the housing estate. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Reported by Channel 4 | Reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Police treated the case as a missing-person investigation with no indication of criminality, and later said the death was unexplained but not suspicious. | Reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Reported by Channel 4 | Reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Reported by a few · 2–5 channels | |||||||
| Noah is non-verbal and has partial hearing loss. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Noah's family had been informed of the development, but formal identification was still pending. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| The body was formally identified as Noah Woods. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| A fundraiser for Noah's family raised tens of thousands of pounds, reportedly over £100,000. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Noah went missing from a playground in Brantham, Suffolk, on Tuesday, with reports of a last confirmed sighting at 2.37pm, him running off from a relative at around 3pm, and going through a gap in a play area fence. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Police cordoned off Decoy Pond and deployed divers there during the search. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Reported by Sky News |
| Noah Woods' family described him as a happy, cheeky and playful three-year-old, the sweetest and most innocent little boy, and said they wanted his memory to be one of joy. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| A relative followed Noah Woods and lost sight of him after about 200 metres while shouting after him. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Noah Woods left the play area through a gap in the fence, passing through a memorial garden and open gate, and went down a path towards Decoy Pond. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Only on one channel | |||||||
| Noah's father said emergency services were confident that high-risk areas had been cleared. | Reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Noah Woods' cause of death had not yet been confirmed. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Noah Woods was last seen just after 2.30pm on 15 September, and paramedics confirmed his death around 4.30pm the following day. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| The play park became a memorial site with flowers, balloons and toys left as tributes. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| Noah Woods' family did not attend the inquest and issued a statement. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| The inquest was opened and adjourned to a later date. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| It was a usual routine for Noah Woods to visit the play park with family members. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
| The relative who was with Noah Woods has not been named. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Not reported by BBC News | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by GB News | Not reported by ITV | Not reported by Sky News |
This is a cross-channel consensus summary, not an objective account. Consensus can be uniformly wrong, or omit what only one channel covered.
Timeline
Where this topic appeared. Cells show coverage time and are darker when there was more coverage.
| Date | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | BBC Two | Channel 4 | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 25 September 2026 | 1m 59s 5.4% | — | 1m 35s 1.6% | — | — | — | 2m 3s 2.6% | — |
| Saturday 19 September 2026 | 14s 11.7% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Thursday 17 September 2026 | 2m 51s 10.2% | — | 1m 58s 1.3% | — | — | — | 3m 41s 4.4% | 11m 20s 11.1% |
| Wednesday 16 September 2026 | 8m 11s 20.9% | 5m 35s 4.7% | 13m 7s 13.0% | — | 1m 44s 3.4% | 1m 33s 1.9% | 13m 40s 11.0% | 17m 58s 18.6% |