Toddler Kiara Moore dies after being pulled from car in Cardigan's River Teifi

Kiara would have been three next Tuesday. Credit: Nicola Rowlands

A two-year-old girl has died after being pulled from a car found in the River Teifi in Cardigan, police have said.

Kiara Moore, who would have celebrated her third birthday next Tuesday, died at the University Hospital of Wales after being recovered from a silver Mini in the river.

On Monday afternoon, numerous Facebook posts claimed the car had been stolen from the town with a girl in it.

Dyfed-Powys Police said it received a call about a missing vehicle at 3.30pm and posted on its Twitter page that the Mini had been located at 5.11pm.

Rescue crews at the scene of the incident in Cardigan Credit: ITV News

Jet Moore, who is in a relationship with Kiara's mum Kim, said in a Facebook post: "Thank you all for your help this evening. A mega thank you the officers who jumped in the river and the rest of the emergency services for all they did. Unfortunately Kiara had an amazing but short life

Credit: Family

He later posted a tribute on his Facebook page where hundreds of people have been leaving messages of condolence.

Local garage owner Noel Lewis says he knew the family and often saw the girl out and about playing. He described them as a 'lovely family'.

A slipway by the River Teifi in Cardigan, Wales, near the scene where two-year-old Kiara Moore was recovered from a car that had plunged into the river. Credit: PA

Noel Lewis said he often saw a silver Mini parked on the slipway but he was not there on Monday so did not know if it was there then.

Of the slipway, he said: "It's concrete, about four or five foot, going down into the river bed, which is quite deep, so if the Mini rolled back then the poor little girl didn't stand a chance."

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that they were not looking for anyone else in connection with their investigation and the family are being supported by specially trained officers.