Body found on construction site after search for missing boy

A seven-year-old boy from Barnsley is believed to have died in a tragic accident on a construction site.

Police searching for missing Conley Thompson issued a statement yesterday confirming that they had found the body of a child on a construction site on Bank End Road in the Worsbrough area of Barnsley.

Around 50 police officers were drafted in to search for Conley after he failed to return from playing in a local park with friends on Sunday evening.

Speaking to the BBC Conley’s grandmother Deborah Fraser said it was likely he fell into the pipe. She said: “You know it was raining, he slipped and went straight down. I hate to think what his little mind was going through.

“We know that he’s got through a small hole in top of the construction site, and because it’s been wet he’s slid down and gone into a vertical pipe.”

In a statement South Yorkshire Police said: “The investigation was declared as a critical incident and around 50 officers were drafted in to search for Conley.

“Extensive, methodical and structured searches took place throughout the night involving specially trained search officers.

“The construction site, where Conley was sadly discovered by construction workers this morning, was checked by officers during the hours of darkness and found to be securely locked with a large perimeter fence.

“The investigation continues into the cause of Conley’s death and we are working with the Health and Safety Executive as part of that investigation.”