A SIX-YEAR-OLD Wrexham boy drowned and a man was still missing in the River Dee this week in a tragic start to the summer holiday season.
On Monday, rescuers desperately tried to revive six-year-old Callum Andrew Jones after he was pulled from the waves as he was enjoying a day at Barmouth with his family.
Off-duty nurses relaxing on the beach rushed to help when the unconscious boy, of Coedpoeth, was brought ashore.
They gave him mouth-to-mouth and heart massage before paramedics arrived.
Wales Air Ambulance flew him to Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, where medics continuedthebattletosavehislife.Butthe youngster was later pronounced dead.
His parents said he was 'much loved' and 'lived his short life to the full.'
Barmouth RNLI lifeboat station said a second boy was also in the water and bothwerehelped byholidaymakersand treated at the scene by paramedics.
In a statement, his parents Tracy and Andrew said: 'Callum tragically died when on a day visit with his grandparents and cousin.
'He was a much loved son and lived his short life to the full.
'He was extremely well loved and well known in the village of Coedpoeth and the family are extremely grateful for the love and support they have received from the whole community.'
A North Wales Police spokeswoman said: 'Police inquiries are continuing into this incident but at this stage there is nothing to suggest this is anything more than a tragic accident.' Barmouth's harbourmaster and beach wardens assisted in the rescue attempts and cleared the beach to allow emergency vehicles access. nOn Saturday police divers began searching for a 22-year-old man believed to have jumped into the River Dee, near the Chain Bridge at Llangollen, to retrieve an empty canoe.
North Wales Police said one of his three friends raised the alarm after he was seen jumping into the water.
At the time of the Mail going to press on Tuesday, the search for the missing man - believed to be from the Deeside area - was into its fourth day.
The man has not been named.
