An 11-year-old boy died after he disappeared in a pond near Manchester's Trafford shopping centre.

The youngster, from Salford, vanished into the water at open land near Barton Embankment, Trafford, shortly before 6pm yesterday.

Greater Manchester Police said a child's body was recovered at around 8.30pm after a search by police, firefighters and Bolton Mountain Rescue Team.

A police spokesman said the family of the boy, who has not been named, has been informed.

He said inquiries into the incident are continuing.

The spokesman said the youngster was with friends who raised the alarm when he disappeared.

He said the first officers to arrive at the scene waded into the pond to search for the boy.

They were followed by firefighters from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service's water incident unit, based at Eccles.

Firefighters carried out a sweep search of the surface of the pond and a police joint underwater search unit looked for the boy below the surface.

The body was found by members of the Bolton Mountain Rescue Team.

Two other boys were taken to Salford Royal Hospital where they were treated for shock.

According to the Manchester Evening News, a sign near the pond warns of the dangers of deep water and soft ground.

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