Solihull Lake: Children ‘died trying to save friend who caught leg in ice’

It has been revealed that four children who fell into a frozen lake in Solihull were trying to save a friend whose leg got caught in the ice.

Three children ages 11, 10 and eight died after the incident at Babbs Mill Lake on Sunday afternoon, while a six-year-old boy remains in critical condition.

Tommy Barnet, 10, told Sky News: “They were all playing on the ice, one got his legs stuck in the ice and then…his friends went to save him but they all fell down.”

“When it was summer, we used to go to the woods and play hide and seek by the lake. But I wasn’t there yesterday.

All four children were said to have been in cardiac arrest when they were rescued from the lake. They were taken to hospital, but police said three of them “could not be revived.”

Members of the public jumped into the lake in an attempt to rescue the children, according to The Telegraphas a police officer traversed the ice to reach the children trapped below.

The officer was later taken to the hospital after his efforts left him with mild hypothermia, but has since been released.

Charlotte McIlmurray, aunt of one of the children who died, thanked the “incredible” community for coming together behind grieving families, ahead of a vigil held Monday night for “little kings who lost their lives.”

“This is so amazing from the entire community in this nightmare that two families can’t wake up from the pain is unimaginable,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Around 100 residents gathered on Fordbridge Road, where members of the public laid flowers to pay their respects.

West Midlands Police said on Monday that searches of the lake would continue as they try to establish exactly what happened and whether anyone else fell into the water.

Richard Stanton, the area commander for the West Midlands Fire Service, said the incident served as a “stark reminder” of the dangers of open water.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, he said: “Frozen lakes, ponds, canals and reservoirs may seem picturesque but they can be deadly and there is no greater warning of this than yesterday’s tragic events.

“We would ask parents and caregivers to remind their children of the dangers of ice and why they should avoid it. Please help us prevent this from happening again.”