An NHS trust has apologised to the family of three-year-old Noah Woods for the “extra anguish” caused after a data breach of his medical records.

Launching an “urgent” investigation, Dr Martin Mansfield, deputy chief medical officer at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said that any unauthorised access of patient data was “completely unacceptable”.

Disciplinary action will be taken if needed, the statement from the trust added.

A major search for Noah was carried out in the village of Brantham, Suffolk, after the child went missing on 15 September. His body was found the next day in nearby water by police divers.

In the statement issued on Sunday,, external Mansfield said of the data breach: “Immediate steps were also taken to secure the records and prevent further access that was not for a legitimate, clinical reason.

“We have reported the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and we will continue to keep Noah’s family informed as our investigation progresses.”

At least 1,300 people helped in the search for Noah in the 24 hours before he was found.

A tribute issued by his family called him a “happy, cheeky, playful” boy who loved to laugh. His mother urged other parents to “hold their children a little tighter and cherish every moment”.

An inquest, which opened on Friday, heard that the three-year-old had left a play area “through a gap in the fence”.

Assistant coroner Jyoti Gill said it was a “very sad and tragic death” as she opened and adjourned the inquest in Ipswich.

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