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| Rhys murder police seal off wood | Rhys murder police seal off wood |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Police hunting the killer of 11-year-old Rhys Jones have sealed off a section of woodland in Merseyside close to the scene where he was shot. | Police hunting the killer of 11-year-old Rhys Jones have sealed off a section of woodland in Merseyside close to the scene where he was shot. |
| Dam Wood, between the Croxteth Park Estate and Croxteth in Liverpool, is being searched with dogs. | Dam Wood, between the Croxteth Park Estate and Croxteth in Liverpool, is being searched with dogs. |
| Rhys was killed outside the Fir Tree pub, Croxteth, on Wednesday as he walked home alone. | Rhys was killed outside the Fir Tree pub, Croxteth, on Wednesday as he walked home alone. |
| Detectives have so far released 10 suspects, four without charge and six on police bail. | Detectives have so far released 10 suspects, four without charge and six on police bail. |
| Officers said they had received a steady stream of calls from the public following Rhys's murder and are appealing for more witnesses to come forward. | Officers said they had received a steady stream of calls from the public following Rhys's murder and are appealing for more witnesses to come forward. |
| Floral tributes | Floral tributes |
| Police began searching the woodland on Tuesday, though the source of the information which led them to the area is not known. | |
| Ch Insp Ray Beirne, who is leading the search teams, also refused to say what the officers were looking for. | |
| He said: "It is a very large area of wood and we are having to look through every bit of it. | |
| "We have 46 police officers specially trained in this type of search and eight police dogs. | |
| "It will take as long as it takes." | |
| I just want to ask them to be brave Melanie Jones, Rhys's mother Rhys's brother visits shrine Police reveal gang crackdown | |
| Officers are investigating the possibility that Rhys may have been caught up in a feud between the Croxteth Crew and the Strand Gang. | Officers are investigating the possibility that Rhys may have been caught up in a feud between the Croxteth Crew and the Strand Gang. |
| It has not been revealed whether any of the calls shed light on the activities of the two rival gangs. | It has not been revealed whether any of the calls shed light on the activities of the two rival gangs. |
| Rhys's murder shocked the nation with masses of floral tributes laid at the spot where he fell. | Rhys's murder shocked the nation with masses of floral tributes laid at the spot where he fell. |
| Wreaths from Everton and Blackburn Rovers football clubs and from Wayne Rooney, who was born in Croxteth, have also been laid at the spot. | Wreaths from Everton and Blackburn Rovers football clubs and from Wayne Rooney, who was born in Croxteth, have also been laid at the spot. |
| On Monday Rhys's parents, Melanie and Stephen Jones, urged their son's killer to surrender to police. | On Monday Rhys's parents, Melanie and Stephen Jones, urged their son's killer to surrender to police. |
| Mrs Jones said: "We never knew anything about guns. We've lived there 17 years and we've never had any trouble, never been frightened about going out. | Mrs Jones said: "We never knew anything about guns. We've lived there 17 years and we've never had any trouble, never been frightened about going out. |
| Rhys's parents said they could no longer live in the area | Rhys's parents said they could no longer live in the area |
| "I don't feel safe now up there. I am going to leave. I can't live on there anymore. I can't go up to those shops anymore. | |
| "I've got to move somewhere else." | "I've got to move somewhere else." |
| Rhys and his family will be remembered in prayers at a church service to mark the 800th anniversary of the city gaining its charter from King John. | Rhys and his family will be remembered in prayers at a church service to mark the 800th anniversary of the city gaining its charter from King John. |
| The Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Reverend James Jones, is expected to mention Rhys during the service at Liverpool Parish Church. | The Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Reverend James Jones, is expected to mention Rhys during the service at Liverpool Parish Church. |
| The anthem of the 11-year-old's beloved Everton - the Z Cars theme tune Johnny Todd - will be heard for the first time at Anfield. | |
| It will be played as players leave the tunnel before the Champions League qualifying game against Toulouse at 2000 BST. |