A boy died and three others were lucky to be alive last night after a dramatic rescue from a swollen river.

The teenagers were believed to have been playing on a weir beneath a bridge over the River Derwent, near Burnopfield, County Durham, when they got into difficulties.

A passer-by spotted the boys struggling under the bridge at 5.50pm and contacted the police.

Durham Constabulary and Northumbria Police were on the scene within minutes, but they could not reach one of the youngsters, a boy from Gateshead.

More than 15 firefighters from Hebburn, Swalwell and Fossway, in Tyneside, were called in to take part in the rescue using specialist equipment.

They managed to reach the boy, believed to be aged between 13 and 14, using a dinghy.

He was flown in Northumbria Police's helicopter, with another of the youngsters, to Newcastle General Hospital.

The teenager, who is not being named until relatives have been informed, died shortly after arriving at hospital.

Police were studying the scene last night.

Inspector Norman Kirtland, of Gateshead area command, said: "The family of the teenager are obviously deeply shocked, as are his friends who he had been playing with at the time.

"We will take this opportunity to extend our sympathies to his family."

Police said that inquiries were continuing but that they were not treating the incident as suspicious