Three-year-old Noah Woods left a playground through a gap in a fence and an open gate before being found dead in a nearby pond, an inquest has heard.

Suffolk Coroner's Court in Ipswich heard the details as assistant coroner Jyoti Gill opened and adjourned the inquest into what she described as a "very sad and tragic death". The hearing, which was not attended by Noah's family, began with the coroner extending her deepest condolences to his loved ones.

Det Ch Insp Matt Connick of Suffolk Police told the court that CCTV showed Noah in the play area at Merriam Close in Brantham being looked after by a relative on 15 September, which he described as "part of a normal routine". The toddler, who lived in neighbouring East Bergholt, then slipped away through a break in the internal fencing into an adjoining memorial garden and exited through an open gate.

According to Det Ch Insp Connick, the relative closely followed Noah to try to catch up with him, shouting out as the three-year-old ran down a path on a new housing estate towards nearby Decoy Pond. Noah went out of sight shortly afterwards. Another man joined the initial search before police were alerted.

What followed was a massive 24-hour search operation across the village of Brantham, close to the River Stour on the Suffolk-Essex border. At least 1,300 volunteers joined police officers, search dog units and helicopters scouring the area. During the search, volunteers were informed that Noah was non-verbal and partially deaf.

The search ended the following afternoon, on 16 September, when Metropolitan Police divers entered Decoy Pond in the area where Noah was last seen. Divers discovered his body five metres from the water's edge, within submerged tree roots at a depth of 1.8 metres. Paramedics confirmed his death at 16:31 BST, and his identity was formally confirmed by his mother, Charlie, at Ipswich Hospital that evening.

Brantham Parish Council, which maintains the Merriam Close site, released a statement saying members were "deeply saddened by Noah's death". The council explained that while there was a break in the internal fencing being constructed to separate the play area from the memorial garden, the whole area including both spaces remained completely enclosed by appropriate perimeter fencing. The authority added that it is co-operating fully with ongoing inquiries.

In a written tribute, Noah's family described him as being at the centre of their world, living with his mother, father and baby brother. They said every Tuesday since birth he had visited the park with a treasured relative, sharing a wonderful bond playing chase and exploring. Noah was being assessed for autism, had mild hearing loss and was speech delayed, but his family noted he had just started finding his voice and learning new words every day. Noah's mother, Charlie, asked people to "hold their children a little tighter, cherish every moment, and never take those precious memories for granted."

What we don't know yet is the definitive medical cause of death. Suffolk Police have confirmed they are not treating the death as suspicious, but the court heard that a post-mortem examination carried out at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge requires further investigation before final conclusions can be drawn.

A date for the full inquest hearing has not yet been set by the coroner's court. I'll be following this one — check back for updates.