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Pierre Barnes: Body found in island search | Pierre Barnes: Body found in island search |
(35 minutes later) | |
The family of a 12-year-old Lincolnshire boy who went missing on an island in France have been told that a body has been found. | |
Pierre Barnes vanished on Porquerolles while cycling on Saturday. | Pierre Barnes vanished on Porquerolles while cycling on Saturday. |
His father, Stephen Barnes, said a body was found by a pleasure boat in deep water close to the spot where Pierre's bike was discovered. | |
Mr Barnes said: "I feel as though it will bring an element of closure and for that we should be grateful." | |
The 12-year-old, from Grantham, disappeared just hours after arriving on the island for a half-term holiday with his family. | The 12-year-old, from Grantham, disappeared just hours after arriving on the island for a half-term holiday with his family. |
He had been cycling when a storm swept in. | |
Mr Barnes said: "Police have spoken to my wife twice in the past hour. They say that the body is in a distressing condition. | |
"I believe it will be Pierre." | |
Mr Barnes said the body has been taken to the mainland and he has not yet been asked to go and formally identify it. | |
Pierre's bike was found with a broken chain about 3km from the holiday home his family were renting, together with one of his shoes. | |
Search teams scoured the island and Mr Barnes said at a press conference on Tuesday that the response from people in France had been "overwhelming". | Search teams scoured the island and Mr Barnes said at a press conference on Tuesday that the response from people in France had been "overwhelming". |
Mr Barnes said he had given up hope of finding his son alive, but said the family hoped to find his body. | Mr Barnes said he had given up hope of finding his son alive, but said the family hoped to find his body. |
Pierre's mother and three three siblings, Zoe, 17, Desmond, 15, and Clemence, 13, are also on the island. | |
Zoe has described her younger brother as "a little eccentric, bright and clever". |