A Northern Ireland village was in mourning tonight over the loss of a 14-year-old footballing prodigy who was swept away in a flooded river as he tried to rescue his pet Labrador.
Hopes faded fast and a search for missing James Elliott swiftly became a hunt to recover his body.
Scores of friends and villagers joined the emergency services in the search which stretched along both banks of the River Bush more than 10 miles to where it empties into the Atlantic.
Police divers, Bann River Rescue, Coastguard, Royal Navy, RAF and Fire Service teams were all engaged in the search operation.
His policemen father Clive was recovering after being taken to hospital after being pulled from the river — fast flowing after being swollen by heavy rains — after jumping in to try to save his son.
Together with another teenager, who was rescued from the water — as was the dog - father and son had been walking dogs along the river bank in the village of Stranocum in Co Antrim yesterday.
When his beloved Labrador went into the river and got into trouble James went straight after him and was swept away. A search continued until nightfall and resumed at dawn today.
The teenager was a soccer-made pupil at Dalriada High School where he played for the school team — having already won international recognition as a Northern Ireland under-13 player.
PA