Noah Donohoe: Rumours about missing teen 'extremely distressing'

Police fear Noah Donohoe may have sustained a head injury

Rumours circulating about the search for a 14-year-old boy who went missing in Belfast on Sunday are "extremely unhelpful and distressing for his family", police have said.

Officers believe Noah Donohoe may have fallen from his bicycle and sustained an injury, causing him to remove his clothing.

He was last seen in areas close to the Shore Road at 18:11 BST.

Police have encouraged people to search properties, gardens and sheds.

Police have also appealed to Noah's friends to get in touch with them if they have any information.

But in a statement on Thursday afternoon, Supt Muir Clark asked the public to give police and specialist search and rescue teams the space to carry out their work.

He added that the investigation remained a missing persons inquiry.

'Not entirely clear'

A number of items belonging to the St Malachy's College pupil - including his black Apollo mountain bike and some clothing - have been found.

But a green North Face jacket, grey sweat shorts with an emblem on one leg and a khaki rucksack containing a Lenovo laptop and a copy of the book 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson, are still missing.

Police issued a photo of a backpack similar to Noah's

He had also been wearing a black skateboarding helmet, a blue and navy hooded top and Nike trainers with a bright yellow tick.

Noah Donohoe's mother, Fiona, attended a news conference on Wednesday

Supt Clark said that it is "still not entirely clear" why the 14-year-old travelled to the area where he went missing.

"He went to school in north Belfast but at this time I can find no connection between the Northwood area and Noah's knowledge of north Belfast," he added.

He said that police had received a "significant amount of dashcam footage," and had "received and discounted" a number of potential sightings.

He added that police had a "number of hypotheses," as to what may have happened.

"The one we are majoring on is that he has in some way suffered a head injury" which led to him being "disorientated," he said.

Anyone with information on Noah's whereabouts is asked to contact police immediately on 101.

Extended search

Specialist teams, police and community rescue services are involved in Thursday's ongoing search.

"Police officers supported by air support unit, police dogs and our tactical support group have been searching the area alongside Community Rescue Service colleagues and local volunteers," said the PSNI.

The search around the Shore Road area of north Belfast was being extended as far as the Antrim Road and city centre, Sean McCarry from Community Search and Rescue told BBC News NI.

St Malachy's College said the community was praying that Noah was found and returned safely to his family soon.

A statement from the school described him as a personable, good-humoured and very kind person as well as a talented cellist "who displays impressive competitive and athletic skills on the sports field".

At the scene: BBC News NI reporter Catherine Morrison

Today, it's really been so much quieter here.

It's a total contrast to yesterday when hundreds and hundreds of people were in this area as part of that massive community search effort to try and find Noah.

Last night police and search rescue teams asked those volunteers to essentially take a step back and let them take the lead in the operation to find Noah.

That seems to certainly have been heeded here today.

The local community centre, the Hubb, remains open for rescue teams who need to take a break or grab a bottle of water and members of Noah's family, who were there last night.

Its manager, Colleen Crothers, said yesterday they had people from Portavogie, west Belfast and Ballymena joining local residents in the search.

Also taking part were people who have had things like this happen in their family and who had come from "everywhere and anywhere".

Where was Noah last seen?

Having left his home in south Belfast at about 17:30, Noah was reportedly seen passing through Ormeau Avenue in Belfast at about 17:45.

He crossed the city, going through the heart of the city along Royal Avenue and then on to North Street.

He then made his way towards the north of the city going along North Queen Street.

An eye witness reported a young man fitting his description falling off his bicycle in the North Queen Street/York Road area. He then went on to the Limestone Road.

Noah was reportedly seen riding his bicycle in the Northwood Road area, apparently having abandoned all his clothing.

It is suggested he may have got off his bike and left the area on foot. The last reported sighting was at about 18:10.

First Minister Arlene Foster said Noah's family faced the "worst kind of nightmare".

"I would appeal to those of you to have unoccupied houses to check them, as well as garages, gardens or outhouses in the north of the city, just in case Noah is there," she told Stormont's daily coronavirus press briefing.

"I send my prayerful support to Noah's family and friends to stay strong in what I can only imagine is the most distressing of situations. Please know that everyone stands with you, and the safe return of Noah is very much uppermost in our thoughts."

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill also sent her thoughts to Noah's family and friends.

"We can only imagine the heartbreak being felt by his family," she said.