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Body found in Culham believed to be missing swimmer Ellis Downes | Body found in Culham believed to be missing swimmer Ellis Downes |
(35 minutes later) | |
A body believed to be missing swimmer Ellis Downes has been found by divers. | A body believed to be missing swimmer Ellis Downes has been found by divers. |
The body was found close to where the 16-year-old disappeared while playing in the River Thames at Culham, Oxfordshire, on Saturday evening. | The body was found close to where the 16-year-old disappeared while playing in the River Thames at Culham, Oxfordshire, on Saturday evening. |
The private dive team who found the body at about 23:00 BST on Monday criticised the "botched" police response, after they were stopped from searching for several hours. | |
Ellis' sister Alex has paid tribute to her "cheeky, loveable" brother. | |
She said on Facebook she was heartbroken and described his death as a "terrible nightmare". | |
She added: "I'm so sorry we didn't find you sooner." | |
Ellis' dad Darren Downes thanked about 100 people who helped with the search and added: "Our world will never be the same again." | |
Updates on this story and more from Oxfordshire | Updates on this story and more from Oxfordshire |
'Police criticised' | 'Police criticised' |
A Thames Valley Police spokeswoman said formal identification had not yet taken place, but the body was believed to be Ellis Downes, from Harwell, near Didcot. | |
Police have been criticised for scaling back their search and allegedly refusing to allow a private dive team into the water. | |
The force previously blamed "poor visibility" in the river for having "hampered" underwater searches. | |
It said an officer had been assigned to support the family. | |
Peter Faulding, from private dive company Specialist Group International - which found the body, said he had "never seen such a botched operation" in his career. | |
He said it was not until Mr Downes arrived and threatened to go into the river himself, that police allowed his team to begin searching. | |
"It was too slow, it could have been done a lot quicker, and had him out by probably 17:30," he added. | |
Ed Vaizey, MP for Didcot and Wantage, has sent condolences to Ellis' family and said he would offer his support "in any way which they feel is appropriate". | |
However, he said it would be "wholly inappropriate" to comment further about the criticisms of the police. | |
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said the force had not referred itself over the matter. | |
Thames Valley Police has not yet responded directly to the allegations. | |