'Our worst nightmare': Four-year-old boy drowns after he's swept out to sea while walking on the beach with his mum

A family are mourning the loss of their beloved little boy after he was swept out to sea by a big wave while he was walking along a beach with his mum.

The four-year-old, who has not been named, was strolling along the beach on Wednesday afternoon when a strong wave hit the shore and carried the boy out to sea infront of his poor mum.

Officials say she watched helplessly as her little boy was swept away at the beach at Kitty Hawk, USA, and eventually he disappeared from sight. 

The family were on holiday in the area and surfers reported that the swell was huge on the day they visited the beach. 

Coast Guard boats and helicopters combed 130 square miles of ocean and beach until Wednesday night and the rescue search for the boy was ultimately suspended.

Police took to Facebook to alert families in the region in a touching post. 

It read, 'A tragic accident occurred today in Kitty Hawk. Under the watchful eye of the attending parents while walking along the shore, a four year old boy was swept from his mother into the ocean and carried away by the current. As parents, this is our worst nightmare, even for those of us who love and have grown up by the ocean. Please join us in thought and prayer for this family as we mourn with them the loss and give thanks for the well-being of our own children.'

Residents of Kitty Hawk set up a makeshift memorial to the little boy with messages of support for the family.