Rescue efforts to find missing William Tyrell, 3, to become a recovery mission as hopes fade

The rescue mission for missing boy William Tyrell will become a recovery mission from tomorrow, as the chance of finding him alive fades.

After 80 hours of work by more than 200 searchers, three-year-old William is still nowhere to be found.

The bright little boy has vanished seemingly without a trace from a tiny community on the NSW mid-north coast, where anxiety is now turning to a feeling of inevitable grief.

Resident Dene Harper said it was “heartbreaking.

“I’ve shed tears and he’s not even my flesh and blood,” he said.

William’s distraught family released more photos of their "much-loved" little Spiderman today.

Superintendent Paul Fehon said the family was struggling.

“It’s fair to say their grief is consuming them at times,” he said.

After a fourth day of searching through a 1.5km radius around the house, police and searchers are yet to uncover a single clue.

“We would have liked to have found something by now,” he said.

Overnight and throughout the day police received almost 100 calls of possible sightings, but each has been ruled out.

If yesterday was “critical” as police said, today was desperate.

If William has just wandered off, the chances of finding him alive are now fading.

But working out how he has simply vanished is now becoming more and more important.