A boy (3) has died in Britain after falling into a pond at a property in Newcastle.

The little boy, named as Callum Greenwood, was found 10 minutes after he was reported missing on Thursday evening but was later pronounced dead at the Royal Victoria Infirmary.

A neighbour who saw emergency services' frantic efforts to save Callum said he realised at once something terrible had happened.

Plasterer Paul Taylor (37) who lives next door, said: "I'd been out to get an Indian and when I came back there was a massive police search on. They had closed off the road and the ambulance was there."

"I saw somebody in a blanket being carried into the ambulance. I thought obviously something terrible had happened but I didn't know what."

He added: "It's hard to believe this has happened to someone of that age."

His partner, Emma Taylor (38) said: "We could see people crying and screaming. A woman was hysterical. When we saw someone being bundled into the ambulance, we still didn't know."

"The people next door are very private. We have since heard the boy was their daughter's child, who had come for a visit."

Two Police Community Support Officers were seen standing outside the large detached property in Elswick Road, where the little boy was last seen.

Northumbria Police's Superintendent Mick Paterson said on Thursday night: "This is an incredibly tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time. They are understandably absolutely devastated and officers with specialist training are providing them with support."

A report is being prepared for the coroner.