Boy, six, who died in Solihull lake was 'symbol of hope'

The 4th lad to dice aft being pulled from an icy water astatine the play had been a "symbol of hope" for the community, specified was the feedback from residents gathered astatine the scene.

The deaths of the 3 different boys - aged eight, 10 and 11 - were confirmed astatine the commencement of the week pursuing events astatine Babbs Mill Park successful Kingshurst, adjacent Solihull, connected Sunday.

But the fourth, aged six, had been successful a captious information successful hospital.

Locals hoping helium would propulsion done person called his nonaccomplishment "simply tragic".

West Midlands Police, whose officers had battled to smash crystal and prevention the children, said it could not "comprehend the enormity of the pain" the boys' families indispensable feel.

On a Christmas card, 1 wrote to the children: "You volition beryllium everlastingly successful my thoughts and prayers".

An easel committee has been near excessively for radical to constitute "messages to heaven".

The 10-year-old has been named locally arsenic Jack Johnson, but the identities of the different 3 boys are yet to beryllium confirmed.

Police said searches astatine the tract had been completed, with cordons lifted connected Wednesday evening.

Earlier that day, England footballer Tyrone Mings and his Aston Villa teammate John McGinn went to the country to laic flowers.

Mings said it was a "personal decision" to wage their respects and added: "I deliberation it's impacted the full metropolis [of Birmingham].

"Sometimes, arsenic we've seen with different things that person happened crossed the city, determination are things much important than football," helium added.

The Kingshurst assemblage was praised astatine Prime Minister's Questions, arsenic were exigency services unit who responded.

One constabulary serviceman who physically punched done the crystal to effort to rescue the boys has since returned to enactment wherever helium is being supported by colleagues.

"That punching of the crystal has go symbolic of conscionable however hopeless we were to effort and get those children safe," said Rich Cooke, seat of the West Midlands Police Federation.

A vigil for the boys is owed to beryllium held connected Saturday. Solihull Moors Football Club has said it volition rise wealth for the families astatine its adjacent 2 location fixtures.