A TODDLER died after falling into a pond near his home in Chickerell.

The community is in shock following what police described as a ‘tragic accident.’ The two-year-old boy, who has not yet been named, wandered off from his home in the Garston Hill area of Chickerell yesterday, sparking a major search operation involving dozens of police officers, paramedics and coastguards.

They joined family members scouring gardens, sheds and alleyways.

Tragically, the little boy was found half an hour later in a pond in the garden of a house in West Street.

Emergency service personnel were in tears as the boy was recovered from the pond and conveyed to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester by ambulance, where he was later pronounced dead.

The boy’s family were being comforted yesterday.

Members of the community have told of their shock and said their thoughts are with the boy’s family.

Police said a woman raised the alarm at 11.44am yesterday when the boy could not be found.

All available police officers from Weymouth, assisted by officers from Bridport and the force helicopter joined in the family’s search for the toddler.

Paramedics were on the scene and dozens of emergency service vehicles lined the streets of Chickerell, near the Lugger Inn, while the intensive search was carried out.

The boy was found at 12.14pm in the carp pond in the garden of a property which is on the corner of West Street and the B3157, Chickerell Hill.

Neighbours said they saw the helicopter searching round the area and hovering over the scene from noon.

Garston Hill resident Tony Flood said he and his family were in their conservatory when the helicopter circled over. He said: “I saw the helicopter circling over for twenty minutes from about noon. It was circling the area and went towards Moonfleet Manor.”

He added: “We knew there was something on because it was going pretty slowly, like it was searching for something.”

A resident of Chickerell Hill, who did not wish to be named, said: “The helicopter landed in the field down by the Moonfleet roundabout where the police were already looking.

“They were looking round the gardens by the houses here. There were four officers in the garden.”

He added: “I feel for the parents, it’s a really sad day.”

One Chickerell resident said that she saw one ambulance on the road outside the house and one in the driveway of the house on West Street.

She said: “It’s really tragic. It’s just horrible.

Landlady of the Lugger Inn in Chickerell Liz Nubeebuckus said: “All our hearts go out to the whole family, they really do.

“The police came and checked out all our out-houses, anywhere a child could go.

“All we know is he was two years old. The police search was very thorough.”

Julie Cleaver, co-founder of the Chickerell@Play group, said: “We heard the helicopter and went out to have a look, then some of the children in the village told us a toddler had been found in a pond.

“It’s tragic news, a mother’s worst nightmare, everybody who has children in the village has a huge amount of sympathy for the family and will be there to help try and support them in the coming weeks.”

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: “I’ve two nippers myself and it’s a terrifying thought to have a kid go missing.

“The house where it happened has a big pond, filled with carp and all that sort of stuff.”

Mayor of Chickerell Mike Jolliffe said: “We are thinking of the family.”