Child rescued from car in Cardigan river after police hunt

Social media posts are showing a large police presence in Cardigan near the Castle

A child has been rescued from a car in a river after a woman claimed a vehicle had been stolen with her three-year-old daughter in the back.

The silver mini was found in the River Teifi in Cardigan, Ceredigion, after a two-hour police search.

Dyfed-Powys Police said a child had been rescued from the vehicle and was receiving medical attention.

A social media post by a woman said a car had been stolen from the Newcastle Emlyn area with her child in the back.

Coastguard rescue teams and the RNLI are searching the River Teifi

The Wales Ambulance Service confirmed a patient has been flown to Cardiff's University of Wales Hospital in an air ambulance.

Milford Haven Coastguard said a "large multi-agency operation" was ongoing and was being directed by Dyfed-Powys Police.

Social media posts are showing pictures of a search helicopter circling above Cardigan

A coastguard helicopter and rescue teams from the police, coastguard and RNLI searched a 200-metre (656ft) stretch of the River Teifi beneath Cardigan Castle on the eastern the side of the bridge, near the Strand.

The police had said they first received a call "as to whereabouts of a silver mini" which had been seen last near the old Scout Hall, near the river, at about 15:30 GMT on Monday.

There are another 30 emergency services personnel including police, fire and coastguard in Cardigan town

"During a search the vehicle was located in the River Teifi, Cardigan," added the police statement.

The condition of the rescued child is not known as large parts of Cardigan were initially closed off.

The cordons were lifted at about 20:30 - apart from one lane, off the Strand, behind the Angel Hotel which is still closed and being examined by police.

There are another 30 emergency services personnel including police, fire and coastguard on the bank. The car is no longer at the scene.