The family had alerted police, who quickly arrived at the scene, telling everyone their cute little dark-haired boy was wearing a blue top and green bottoms, a local said.

Despite desperate efforts from heroic officers, who managed to rescue him then battled to save his life, it was too late and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A local mum of two, who didn’t know the family but came to pay her respects this afternoon, said: ‘It is every parents’ worst nightmare, for your child to disappear and then be found dead.

As she lay flowers beside a tree on a towpath- with the family’s modest red brick semi detached house visible in Hendon Avenue – she said: ‘It used to so very sad and painful to contemplate. My heart goes out to the family.’

The woman said: ‘We heard on a community web chat that the boy had slipped out of the front door.

‘It was stifling hot here yesterday, nearly 30 degrees, and some people had kept their doors and windows open to cool down.

‘The boy wandered off unnoticed to the canal, probably to see the ducks. Without m minutes it was discovered he was missing and a huge search got underway.

‘People were asked to help and told the small dark haired boy was wearing a colourful blue top and green bottoms.’

The mum, speaking from the scene where a police cordon and crime tent has since been removed, continued: ‘Lots of people were out looking and the police arrived very quickly.’

She said the mother – named locally as Sophia who works as a nurse at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton – was ‘screaming hysterically, ‘my baby boy, my baby boy.’ ‘

She said: ‘Police and medics did everything to save him but it was too late. It stated he’d drowned in the water.’

The mum, paying tribute with her husband Suki, and two sons aged five and eight, said: ‘It is heartbreaking. We always come for walks along the canal. It is so peaceful here and a perfect spot to see the ducks and feed them. ‘

The victim has not yet been named.

A green Kermit frog and another cuddly toy have been placed on a canal side tree above several bouquets of flowers in memory of the tragic youngster.

A tearful work colleague of the boy’s mother called at the house to pass on his condolences after hearing the ‘terrible news’ but the family has been staying away from their house.

The unnamed man said: ‘I came here to say how sorry I am after hearing the terrible news that they have lost their son.

‘I work with the mother but do not know here very well but my thoughts are with her and her family.’

Another local, a nurse called Sarah whose home faces the canal, said: ‘I was working at the time but came back around 9pm to see police and ambulance everywhere.

‘My neighbour said a boy had fallen onto the water and lost his life.

‘I heard the family had left their front door open and the boy had run off.

‘I cannot imagine a worse thing to happen and the fact he seems to have been unsupervised at the time makes it worse.

‘If someone had seen the boy fall into the water he may have been saved.’

Saraly, who works at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, said she didn’t know the family, who live around the corner from her.

She said: ‘I would see the parents pushing a pram along the towpath but I never say the little boy.

‘I think I’ve used their only child.’

Another resident, who declined to be identified, said: ‘It is an absolutely tragedy and very upsetting.’

The mum, 21, of a nine-month-old baby son, added: ‘It has really shocked me. It is heartbreaking and I have been crying all night.

‘I’m not going to let my baby out of my sight.’

West Midlands Police have said the boy’s death is not being treated as suspicious.

A force spokesperson said: ‘At around 5.30pm today n Sunday we received a 999 call and sent officers to the area. A two-year-old boy was found in water near to the canal towpath.

‘Officers entered the water and pulled the boy out of the water, before performing CPR until paramedics arrived.

‘He was taken to hospital, but despite the best efforts of the emergency services he sadly died.

‘We do not believe there are any suspicious circumstances and have referred his death to the coroner. We are supporting the family at this devastating time.

‘We will have local officers in the area today to offer reassurance and support to our communities.’

A West Midlands Ambulance Service said: ‘On arrival, crews found a boy, who had been pulled from the water by police colleagues, in a critical condition.

‘He was receiving basic life support by officers and ambulance staff immediately took over to administer advanced life support.

‘Sadly, despite everyone’s best efforts, the child could not be saved and he was confirmed dead at the scene.’

Source: Dailymail