Yorkshire boy, 12, dies while swimming at French campsite

The boy is believed to have got into difficulty in a pool at the resort in the Berny-Riviere area of northern France.

Eyewitnesses described how people rushed to help the boy after he was pulled from the water at La Croix du Vieux Point holiday site on Thursday evening.

Reports say the boy was rushed to hospital in Paris but tragically died.

In a statement the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was supporting the family.

A spokeswoman said: "We are supporting the family of a British child who has died in France and are in contact with the French authorities."

La Croix du Vieux Pont is popular with British families visiting France over the summer.

The European Camping Group, who own the site, said: "The European Camping Group was deeply touched to learn of the death at the hospital, following a drowning on Thursday, August 22, of one of the teenage customers of the Tour Operator Venue Holidays at the Camping La Croix du Vieux Pont in Berny-River, and expresses his deep sorrow to the family.

"The group and the camping direction and its staff, shocked by this tragedy, are with the holidaymakers and a psychological support was set up, 24 hours a day with an English-speaking French psychologist.

"The group, for the first time confronted with a fatal accident on one of its camping, collaborates with the authorities to shed light on the circumstances of the accident."

Venue Holidays, the company the boy and his family were travelling with, said: "Our hearts go out to the family concerned at this awful time.

"A senior director is on the campsite to offer assistance to the family and to ascertain what has happened.

"We will of course co-operate fully with the owners of the campsite and with any official enquiry that the French authorities may instigate.

"We will help the family in whatever way is possible and would request that their privacy is respected at this difficult time."