Video report by ITV's Dani Crawshaw

A mother-of-three has drowned trying to save a young boy who had got into trouble in a river in Bedford.

The incident happened in the River Great Ouse last night while the family were having a picnic.

It's understood the woman, who has been named locally as Leanne Gordon, and her three children were playing near a shallow section off Honey Hill Road when the tragedy happened.

She got into the water when she realised someone was in distress.

Police and diving teams spent much of the night searching for her to no avail before they eventually found a body on Friday morning.

"It's a tragic set of circumstance for a family out enjoying themsleves," Ch Insp Nick Lyall said.

"There's a young family now without a mother. It's a tragic time for them."

Police spent much of Thursday night and Friday morning searching for the woman. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Neighbour Joe Vacchio said there were screams of "I can't swim" before the police and a helicopter arrived.

He said the woman lived around the corner from the river and had been diving into the water off small islands with her three children.

He described the river as "very unpredictable" and added that there were no warnings or signs telling people to be careful or not to swim.