A TEN-YEAR-OLD boy accidentally hanged himself while playing with ropes, police say.

Connor Richard Tann had been playing on ropes hanging from trees, in Hutton Wood, near Boosbeck, east Cleveland, on Saturday evening.

The circumstances of how Connor, from Boosbeck, came to be trapped are still being investigated by police, but officers are treating it as an accident.

It is not known if he had been playing alone or with friends.

Detective Constable Dave Thomas, of Redcar CID, said: “This is an absolute tragedy.

Many youngsters go out into woodland and swing from ropes that have been hanging from trees. Unfortunately, on this occasion it would appear that the boy got himself tangled.

It is a tragic accident and our thoughts are with his family.”

Councillor Peter Spencer, who represents the Hutton ward on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said the community was in shock.

He said: “It is terrible when something like this happens.

It is even more tragic when it happens to someone so young.

“My sympathies go out to the parents and their family.

“The whole community is shocked by it, because it is something you do not expect would happen here.”

Connor was taken to hospital in Middlesbrough, where he was pronounced dead.

A post-mortem examination on Sunday confirmed the cause of death as hanging.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is offering support to those who knew Connor.

A spokeswoman said: “Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has expressed huge sympathy for the family and friends of Connor.

“The council has offered any support his school needs in providing support to pupils who knew the boy, when they return from the half term.”

The council said it would investigate the circumstances surrounding Connor’s death, a standard procedure whenever a child dies unexpectedly.