Solihull community's sorrow over fourth boy's death after lake fall

By Joan Cummins & Maisie Olah

BBC Midlands Today

The fourth boy to die after being pulled from an icy lake at the weekend has led to an outpouring of emotion from the community gathering at the scene since his loss.

The deaths of the three others – aged eight, 10 and 11 – were confirmed at the start of the week following events at Babbs Mill Park in Kingshurst, near Solihull, on Sunday.

But the fourth, aged six, had been in a critical condition in hospital.

He died on Wednesday.

Locals hoping he would pull through have called his death “simply tragic”.

West Midlands Police, whose officers had battled to smash ice and save the children, said it could not “comprehend the enormity of the pain” the boys’ families must feel.

Many residents, with tears in their eyes, left their homes and made their way to the memorial site when news broke of the fourth boy’s death.

On a Christmas card, one wrote to the children: “You will be forever in my thoughts and prayers”.

An easel board has been left too for people to write “messages to heaven”.

The 10-year-old has been named locally as Jack Johnson, but the identities of the other three boys are yet to be confirmed.

Police said searches at the site had been completed, with cordons lifted on Wednesday evening.

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

Mings said it was a “personal decision” to pay their respects and added: “I think it’s impacted the whole city [of Birmingham].

“Sometimes, as we’ve seen with other things that have happened across the city, there are things more important than football,” he added.

The Kingshurst community was praised at Prime Minister’s Questions, as were emergency services staff who responded.

One police officer who physically punched through the ice to try to rescue the boys has since returned to work where he is being supported by colleagues.

“That punching of the ice has become symbolic of just how desperate we were to try and get those children safe,” said Rich Cooke, chair of the West Midlands Police Federation.

A vigil for the boys is due to be held on Saturday. Solihull Moors Football Club has said it will raise money for the families at its next two home fixtures.