The family of a four-year-old from Pembrokeshire who sadly passed away this month in tragic circumstances, have paid tribute saying that he will ‘always will be our special little boy’.

Ifan Owen-Jones died after being found in a natural pond near to his home close to Blaenffos near Crymcych on Sunday, August 7, after he had been playing outside.

Assistant coroner for Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, Gareth Lewis officially opened the inquest into Ifan’s death this morning (August 19) at County Hall in Haverfordwest and adjourned proceedings to a later date to be fixed.

It was established that the the four-year-old had been heard playing in a sand pit close to the family home, but when he could not be seen, a search of the grounds ensued and he was found unresponsive in a natural pond.

Emergency services attended, but despite best efforts to resuscitate Ifan, he was pronounced dead at the scene at 8.40 pm.

The family have issued a tribute through Dyfed-Powys Police today, as follows: “Ifan was a beautiful, happy, healthy little boy. He had his struggles with some things due to being Autistic but he was amazing at other things.

“He loved the alphabet, counting and colours. He would watch Fireman Sam over and over. He loved climbing on anything he could find. His iPad (diamond) was his safety blanket, it went everywhere with him.

“Everyone who met Ifan fell in love with him, everyone adored him. He was and always will be our special little boy. We are so lost without him, Ifan was our world. We are all truly broken.

“We as a family are truly overwhelmed with the support, kindness and generosity we have received from our family, friends, local community and even people we don’t even know. We would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Family and friends that have set up a GoFundMe page (which can be found at https://gofund.me/7ee4543c) have thanked everyone who has donated so far.