Searches continue at Babbs Mill Lake, Solihull, as tributes pour in for boys and six year-old remains critical

Emergency services searches at Babbs Mill Lake in Kingshurst, Solihull, are continuingtoday (Tuesday, December 13) following the deaths of three boys aged eight, 10 and 11.

A six year-old boy who was also pulled from the freezing waters remains in hospital, West Midlands Police has confirmed. Officers have also highlighted that no other children have been reported missing - but they are carrying out further searches for more confirmation.

Superintendent Richard Harris said: “It’s important to stress though that we’ve had no contact from anybody suggesting that there’s anybody else missing but until we’re 100 per cent certain we will be carrying on searches throughout the course of today.”

A ten-year-old boy, named locally as Jack Johnson, reportedly ran onto the lake to try and save three others who had fallen in. Rescuers risked their lives as they attempted to save the youngsters, with one officer taken to hospital with hyperthermia. Hundreds gathered for a vigil in memory of the boys last night as tributes to them continue to pour in.

Flowers and soft toys have been laid around a tree and a further vigil is due to be held at 4pm on Sunday (December 18). Solihull Council leaders, Birmingham City leader, West Midlands Mayor and Meriden MP Saqib Bhatti who said the Prime Minister had also expressed his sympathy.

Rapper Lady Leshurr, who grew up in Kingshurst, has also offered her help to the community, posting on instagram she said: “Devastating and very heartbreaking to hear that some children have passed away in the area I grew up in from falling into an icy lake 💔 My love and prayers go to the families of these kids and if there’s anything I can do to help please don’t hesitate to reach out. If anyone knows the families please message me so I can give them my love personally 💜”

Nearby St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School has opened today after closing on Monday. A spokesperson for the school said on Twitter: “Never has our motto being more meaningful, ‘actions speak louder than words’ . We will support our children and families the best we can.”

Last night, a candlelit vigil was held near the scene of the tragedy which was attended by more than a hundred members of the devastated Solihull community.

Dozens of floral tributes, balloons and candles were laid at the base of a tree in Babbs Mill Park to remember the boys. One tribute read: “To my friend Thomas. Thanks for being there for me when I was sad. Thanks for lending me your jacket when I was cold. You were like a brother to me. I miss you so much.”

Earlier in the day, witnesses described how they had seen people running towards the lake and children’s screams or ‘pure panic and fear’. One local resident described coming across one ‘hysterical’ teenage girl, believed to be one victim’s sister, sobbing: “My brother, my brother!”

Resident Dan Hall, 38, who rushed to the scene to help, said: “I ran down to where it was and there was a girl on a bike about 13 with a younger girl, I presume her sister.

“I asked her ‘what’s going on?’ and she said there were some kids on the lake and said ‘my brother my brother’. She was hysterical. The older one was saying to her ‘Don’t think like that’.

“I saw a police officer walking up and he was drenched. You just feel helpless. I got down there and saw a few more people and it was hysterical.

“I saw a guy down there and it was possibly his son and he had a police officer consoling him. He was screaming. Then they pulled the first one out. I took my jacket off and gave them my coat and stuff.

“They’d already been under there 10-15 minutes or so. I gave my coat and I ran back up to my home to get more stuff. I saw the second kid get pulled out and there’s no words to describe it.

“I was seeing a child who was clearly dead. I grabbed a few more jackets and towels and ran back and just handed them over. By this time they’d had the third one out. Eventually they started wheeling them up and they were still pumping the kids on the stretchers.

“The girl who I saw initially on the bike I spotted her crying and I asked if she was alright, she said no. Her brother was probably one of them.”

One local resident, who did not want to be named, added: “I’m feeling numb. It’s just too close to home and absolutely heartbreaking. I heard the sound of children screaming and I knew it was bad. That sound will go with me to my grave. There was pure panic and fear. I just heard such a commotion and then the most emergency services I’ve ever seen in my life.”