Police hunt criticised after boy found dead

As tributes were paid to Lewis Eddleston, whose body was found near his home in Edenthorpe, Doncaster, on Wednesday, his brother Michael said the family was “very angry” with officers’ apparent lack of initiative.

He said: “My mum has sat at home having to phone the police every few hours. We didn’t even get phone calls from them, no updates. We’ve just been sat there having to do it ourselves. We’ve been on our own, apart from the community.”

Yesterday, it was officially confirmed that the body was Lewis.

A post-mortem examination revealed he drowned soon after he was seen leaving playing fields on Sunday evening, police said.

His death is not being treated as suspicious.

Police said the search for the teenager had been “complicated by a number of false sightings reported on social media sites”.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman added: “Family liaison officers continue to support Lewis’s family at this difficult time. An investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.”

Graham Wakeling, the headteacher of Hungerhill School, which Lewis attended, said: “The school community is devastated by the news of Lewis’s sudden death which was a shock to us all.

“Lewis was an extremely popular young man with a good sense of humour.

“He was a lively character around the school and always had a smile on his face. Lewis will be sadly missed by pupils and staff at Hungerhill.”