A friend and former neighbour of the Lamont family has offered a deeply emotional glimpse into the anguish gripping South Australia’s rural outback following the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont.

Gus was last seen by his grandmother in a blue Minions shirt playing outside on a mound of dirt at his family’s Oak Park Station homestead in Yunta before he vanished around 5-5.30pm on Saturday, 27 September.

Despite extensive efforts involving helicopters, drones, ground crews and volunteers, police have now scaled back the operation after medical experts advised there was little hope of finding the boy alive.

Alex Thomas, who grew up on a station 75km from Yunta, revealed to The Advertiser that the tragedy has shaken the entire rural community.

“It’s painful because of the trauma

See Full Page