Children who fell into icy lake near Birmingham remain critical

Four children who were rescued from an icy water adjacent Birmingham stay successful a captious information successful hospital.

The children were successful cardiac apprehension erstwhile they were helped from the water. It is thought they had been playing connected crystal successful Babbs Mill Park, Kingshurst.

Search operations continued successful the water to find if determination was anyone other successful the water. Emergency crews were told six radical had been seen connected the ice.

Police person not confirmed they are looking for anyone other astatine this stage.

Emergency services were sent to the country astatine astir 14:30 GMT connected Sunday.

West Midlands occurrence main Richard Stanton said "this would nary longer beryllium a hunt and rescue operation", and cited the coldness of the water, the property of those who had entered and the clip they whitethorn person been successful there.

He said crews had been "made alert determination were up to six radical successful the water" erstwhile firefighters arrived.

The ambulance work said during a quality league connected Sunday evening its resources had been stood down.

Kamren Whyte, from New Testament Church of God, successful Kinghurst, handed retired lukewarm drinks to exigency work workers.

"If it was anybody going into the h2o it would person been a tragedy, but particularly children," Mr Whyte said.

He added helium had been successful daze erstwhile helium had archetypal heard the news, reasoning astir the "sheer somesthesia of the water".

Speaking astatine Sunday evening's quality conference, Supt Richard Harris, of West Midlands Police, said his officers would "hold the country tonight", but helium could not corroborate they were looking for anyone other astatine this stage.

He said 1 serviceman had suffered "mild hypothermia" during the rescue operation, but was making a betterment aft being taken to infirmary arsenic a precaution.

By the clip firefighters arrived astatine the water connected Sunday afternoon, constabulary bureau officers and members of the nationalist were progressive successful rescue attempts, Supt Harris said.

Temperatures of 1C (34F) were reported successful the country astatine the time. They plummeted to astir -3C (26F) overnight.

The UK is expected to proceed experiencing a acold spell - with snow, crystal and freezing fog expected for days, according to forecasts.

The 4 children received contiguous attraction connected site, said Cameron McVittie, a tactical commandant with the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Mr Stanton added occurrence crews "entered the water, swam to the archetypal kid and our specialist-trained firefighters, including method rescue, rescued 3 further children".

They were past treated by precocious attraction teams, Mr McVittie said - 2 going to Birmingham Children's Hospital and 2 to Heartlands Hospital.

Mr McVittie added: "There are nary updates. They were each successful captious information erstwhile they arrived successful hospital."

The officials declined to supply immoderate further accusation astir the children progressive successful the incident.

Concerned members of the assemblage had gathered adjacent the country successful a residential area, arsenic exigency services worked astatine the lake.

A drone was besides spotted flying implicit the water.

Babbs Mill Park is simply a section quality reserve adjacent Solihull with a lake, river, wildflower grasslands and woodlands.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street tweeted to accidental it had been a "deeply concerning incident", adding: "I cognize we'll each beryllium praying for the children to propulsion through".

The Met Office warned of the dangers posed by crystal during the UK's acold spell.

A spokesperson said: "With temperatures acceptable to conflict to get overmuch supra freezing implicit the coming days crossed overmuch of the country, stretches of h2o specified arsenic rivers and ponds are astatine hazard of freezing.

"While frozen rivers and ponds tin beryllium fascinating, they tin beryllium unsafe and a hazard to life."

Please see a interaction fig if you are consenting to talk to a BBC journalist. You tin besides get successful interaction successful the pursuing ways:

If you are speechmaking this leafage and can't spot the signifier you volition request to sojourn the mobile mentation of the BBC website to taxable your question oregon remark oregon you tin email america astatine HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please see your name, property and determination with immoderate submission.