Boy, 12, drowns in river rescue attempt

 A 12-year-old boy drowned while trying to rescue a girl from a river, his family have said.

Owen Jenkins’s body was discovered in the Trent near Beeston Marina in Nottinghamshire at around 10pm on Monday after a four-hour search. His family yesterday revealed he had been trying to help a girl get out of the water but “couldn’t swim much himself ”.

Describing him as a “hero”, Liz Ryan, Owen’s great aunt, said he was a “loving, kind, considerate and well mannered lad” who had been playing with friends at the time of the incident.

“He went in the water to help a girl get out, and he couldn’t swim much himself. We don’t know the full story but all we know is that he is a hero,” she said. “He didn’t think of himself.”

Nottinghamshire Police said: “Fire and ambulance crews were also on the scene and specialist teams launched a major search operation, but sadly around 10pm a body was found in the water. Our thoughts are with the family during this time.”