The mother of a 12-year-old boy swept out to sea a week ago has spoken of her grief for the first time as the police formally called off a search for him.
Zoe Nash, 35, of Kirkburton says she has been overwhelmed by the response of the community to the loss of their son Isaac.
He was enjoying an idyllic day swimming off the beach at Aberffraw, Anglesey, on Friday lunchtime when he and his younger brother Xander got into difficulties on the rocks in the estuary.
Despite valiant efforts by their father Adam, 35, and grandfather Paul to save them only Xander could be rescued.
On Monday hundreds of people turned out for a special lantern and balloon service in the tight-knit village to remember Isaac.
Zoe said: “We just can’t believe how kind everyone has been and how brilliant and it is just been completely overwhelming. There’s no other word for it, absolutely overwhelming.”
She said it had been a difficult week for her son Xander coping with all the attention but said he had managed nonetheless despite going to school in addition to everything else that had been happening.
Zoe said: “He has enjoyed school though he is struggling with all the attention. Children just seem to cope with things in an amazing way.”
And she revealed how the family had wanted to revisit Anglesey this weekend but had eventually decided against it.
She added: “I was quite insistent at first but now I realise I don’t think it would have been good for Xander.”
Regarding the decision by North Wales Police to call off the formal search for Isaac she said the family understood it was impossible to keep searching for ever.
She said: “I understand they can’t carry on the search for ever. Adam has come to terms with the fact that Isaac has gone but for me I need to have that ending though I know he is not going to be found alive.”
But she was cheered by the news that the RAF would continue to check for any sign of Isaac on flights over the coastline and the same for the Holyhead Coastguard.
And the police would continue to look out for him on their walks in the area.
And she said her little daughter Greta, aged two-years-old had been a great comfort to her, oblivious as she is to everything that has happened.
Zoe said: “Greta comes and gives me a cuddle when she sees me crying. You can’t wallow when she is around.”
A spokesman for North Wales Police said: "A week has now passed since 12-year-old Isaac Nash went missing off the coast of Anglesey.
"An extensive multi-agency search has been carried out of the sea and coastal area over the last seven days, but sadly Isaac has not been found.
"The search will now be scaled down. However, North Wales Police will continue to work with the HM Coastguard and are looking to establish an optimal time when tidal conditions will best enable a further search of the coastal area.
"North Wales Police continue to support the Nash family during this difficult time."
