Tragedy of nine-year-old boy swept to his death in fast-flowing river

The youngster was playing on the rocky bank of the Conwy, in Snowdonia, a well-known beauty spot, when he slipped into the fast-flowing water.

He was on holiday in North Wales, with his mother, Linda and his eight-year-old brother, when the accident happened.

The family had been visiting the Conwy Falls, a popular tourist attraction near Betws-y-Coed.

Mrs Laxen, 44, was watching as the children climbed on boulders a few feet from the water's edge.

But Sean slipped on a wet rock and lost his footing on Monday afternoon.

She dialled 999 and a search and rescue operation was launched.

Search teams found Sean's body about a mile south of Betwsy-Coed.

Mrs Laxen, of Norwich, is separated from Sean's father, Richard.

She works for a double-glazing company. Mr Laxen, 55, travelled to Wales from his home in Norfolk after hearing the news. Last night the couple were too upset to talk.

But neighbours at Mrs Laxen's home, a smart semi-detached bungalow, said earlier that they were praying Sean, a pupil at Horsford All Saints Middle School, Norwich, would be found alive.

One said: "Sean is a lovely lad, we are used to seeing him playing outside with his younger brother.

"It is just awful that such a tragedy can happen."

Divers from North Wales Police spent much of yesterday searching pools and crevices below the river's surface, downstream from the waterfall, close to where Sean fell.

Teams combed the riverbanks close to where Sean disappeared and a police helicopter used thermal imaging equipment to try to find him.

Volunteers from the local mountain rescue team used ladders and abseiled down the rock face to check half a mile of river bank, which is 50ft above the water level in some places.

Roger Jones, team leader with the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue, said the river was particularly swollen on Monday after heavy rain over the weekend.

"This is serious white water. There are deep pools with powerful undercurrents. It is the worst stretch of river I have ever been asked to search.

"Logistically it is a horror story. We know that this river has claimed fatalities in the past."

In March 1991 eight-year-old Matthew Deane, from Brentwood, Essex, died at a nearby spot after falling 50ft down a ravine into the river.

The youngster had been walking with his parents during a week-long holiday in nearby Pwllheli when the tragedy happened.

Six years later, an 18-year-old university student was also seriously injured when his canoe capsized close to the falls and he was trapped underwater in the same ravine.