Solihull: Three children die in icy lake tragedy - BBC

Three boys aged eight, 10 and 11 person died aft falling into an icy water adjacent Solihull.

A constabulary serviceman tried to punch done the crystal arsenic helium and others attempted to rescue the children successful Babbs Mill Park, Kingshurst, connected Sunday.

A 4th boy, aged six, remains successful a captious information successful infirmary aft being pulled from the icy water.

Family members affected by the calamity are "absolutely devastated", said Supt Richard Harris of West Midlands Police.

Supt Harris said each constabulary who went to the country had entered the h2o with nary respect for their ain information oregon with immoderate peculiar clothing. Some of the officers had gone successful waist-deep, helium added.

"One of my officers was trying to punch done the crystal to really rescue the children themselves.

"That officer, arsenic a effect of that, had immoderate mild hypothermia yesterday. I'm pleased to accidental he's present been released from infirmary and he's perfectly fine," helium said.

Searches were continuing, helium added, to marque definite teams were "100% definite that determination is no-one other perchance successful the h2o astatine this time".

"It's important to accent though that we've had nary interaction from anybody suggesting that determination is anybody other missing."

Supt Harris added officers were inactive trying to enactment done each the details of the incidental and could not accidental however agelong the boys had been successful the h2o earlier exigency services arrived.

He said officers had arrived wrong minutes of the archetypal call, which came successful astatine astir 14:30 GMT.

The unit said its thoughts were with the household and friends of the boys "at this profoundly devastating time".

"We'll person specializer officers offering them arsenic overmuch enactment arsenic we can," it said.

Members of the nationalist and constabulary officers initially went into the freezing h2o to effort to get the youngsters out, earlier the children were reached by specializer firefighters.

Temperatures are thought to person plunged to 1C (34F) successful the country astatine the clip of the incident, falling to -3C (26F) overnight.

A occurrence work spokesperson said the incidental served arsenic reminder of the dangers of frozen water.

"It tin look picturesque but tin beryllium lethal," helium said. "Please assistance debar this from happening again."

Source: Royal Life Saving Society UK

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said his thoughts were with the families.

He spoke to Meriden MP Saqib Bhatti, who was visiting the scene, and said it was peculiarly hard reasoning astir the lawsuit arsenic a begetter of 2 young daughters.

Mr Bhatti praised the exigency services for their efforts.

"In these conditions, not to interest astir your ain information and conscionable to spell aft those children is heroic," helium said.

Nish Chauhan, from BBC Radio WM, said residents were arriving astatine the country with blistery drinks for the exigency workers.

One resident, Dan, told him however helium had heard the sirens and had seen radical moving down to the site. He grabbed his overgarment and ran down to spot if helium could help.

"It's shocking, I haven't truly been capable to slumber to beryllium honest," helium said.

Supt Harris said determination were a fig of witnesses officers inactive wanted to talk to and appealed for anyone with accusation to interaction the force.