// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Man missing in flooding discarded by police, family say
Alan Hirst died in February after falling from his bike into floodwater in Herefordshire
A grieving father says he felt his son was "discarded" by police after he went missing in floodwater.
Alan Hirst, 19, was cycling home to Adforton, Herefordshire, in February when it is believed he fell from his bike on the flooded A4110 and suffered a cardiac arrest when he entered the water.
His family have raised concerns about the police search, with his father Steve telling the BBC: "It was like he was just discarded."
A coroner's report into Alan's death said a shortage of specialist search officers, external meant key decisions were not reviewed. In response, West Mercia Police said it was training more officers, with an increase expected in the coming months.
Alan's mother Hayley described her son as "very charismatic" with energy levels that were "off the Richter scale".
"You knew when he was in the room because it just lit up," she said.
Alan, originally from Blackpool, would normally come home late in the evening, but his family initially went to bed on 5 February without realising he had not returned.
His mother said she knew something was wrong the following day when the family came together after finishing work.
Alan's body was eventually found in a ditch along the A4110, the road he had been travelling along when he disappeared, on 8 February.