As police pull out of the search for 4-year-old Lucas Ward, the head of the investigation has admitted the Gisborne boy may never be found, but his family are not giving up.

The grandfather of missing Gisborne toddler Lucas Ward says the family hasn't given up hope and will keep on searching.

As the search for Gisborne pre-schooler Lucas Ward enters its sixth day, police have no plans to scale down their search.

The disappearance of preschooler Lucas Ward has "ripped at the heart" of the Gisborne community.

Police searching for missing Gisborne boy Lucas Ward have for the first time admitted he may have been the victim of foul play. They also want two kayakers seen at the time of Lucas' disappearance to come forward.

The mother of missing Gisborne boy Lucas Ward believes he may have got lost following a dog and been forced to shelter somewhere.

Jessica and Damon Ward today appealed for people to take five minutes to check all around their properties in case their "curious little boy" had got lost and taken shelter.

A police dive squad is again scouring the Waimata River as the search for missing four-year-old Gisborne boy Lucas Ward enters its third day.

The frantic mother of a Gisborne preschooler was last night clinging to the hope her boy is alive, more than 40 hours after he vanished.

Gisborne residents are being urged to search their properties for Lucas Ward, 4.

The police dive squad is searching a Gisborne river close to the home where a four-year-old boy disappeared yesterday.

Lucas Ward's family 'just turned around and he wasn't there', police say. Photo / NZPA

A man arrested during a major police drugs operation offended from his home and should forfeit it, the Crown says.

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