Rain threatening to disrupt search for William Tyrrell on NSW mid-north coast

The search for missing toddler William Tyrrell could face a significant hurdle as the hunt continues into a fifth day.

Wet weather is threatening to dampen the search for William Tyrrell as the search for the missing toddler enters its fifth day.

Police have focused efforts on the home of William’s foster grandmother in Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast where the missing boy was last seen alive on September 12, 2014.

The search moved to below the property on Thursday where a police dog was filmed scouring the area while Australian Federal Police officers used ground penetrating x-ray equipment to analyse a cemented portion of the garage laid after William disappeared.

As the search for the boy’s remains enters its fifth day on Friday, showers and possible thunderstorms predicted for the area could hamper the rescue efforts.

Rain is threatening to disrupt the fifth day of searching for William Tyrrell at Kendall. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Peter Lorimer

Rescue efforts have focused on the areas below the Kendall property’s balcony and surrounding bushland.

Police announced on Monday they would be launching a fresh search for the boy acting on “new information”, with detectives focusing on one person of interest.

It has since emerged the sole person of interest in the case is William’s foster mother.

William was three when he vanished in 2014, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison said caused “unimaginable torment” for his family.

Mr Morrison said the case was a “very sensitive issue” but thanked the police officers involved for their persistence and dedication.

“Given the nature of these matters, I wouldn’t want to be making any contributions here that could in any way put at risk the extraordinary work that has been done by law enforcement officers around the country,” he told reporters on Thursday.

As the search for the boy’s remains enters its fifth day on Friday, showers and possible thunderstorms predicted for the area could hamper the rescue efforts.

The little boy who was photographed smiling in his SpiderMan suit on the day he vanished would become the subject of one of Australia’s most baffling missing person cases.

He has never been found despite several searches over the past seven years and a coronial inquest, which remains open.

William’s foster parents were on Wednesday charged over the alleged assault of a child – not William – on Sydney’s upper north shore.

In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, NSW Police said the couple were charged with common assault of a child who cannot be named for legal reasons.

A 56-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man were each served with court attendance notices and they are set to appear in Hornsby Local Court early next week.

Nobody has been charged over William’s disappearance and suspected death.

Originally published as Rain threatening to disrupt search for William Tyrrell on NSW mid-north coast