Jack Johnson, 10, was named locally as one of the children who died in the lake at Babbs Mill Park (Picture: SWNS)
One of the boys who died after falling in an icy lake has been hailed a ‘hero’ for trying to save three others.
Three boys aged 11, 10 and eight suffered cardiac arrests and died after plunging into the water at Babbs Mill Park near Solihull on Sunday afternoon.
With no consideration for his own safety, little Jack Johnson dived into the water after hearing the screams of three children.
His aunt Charlotte McIlmurray said he ‘ran and tried to save’ the other children, who he did not know.
‘The 10-year-old boy is my nephew. He seen one go threw the ice an he ran an tried to save them,’ she wrote on Facebook.
‘Our prayers and thoughts are with the other family. We are just broken over it.
‘To find out he died trying to save three lads he didn’t even know, that just sums him up. He was amazing.’
Jack Johnson pictured with his father Kirk
Little Jack did not know any of the boys in the lake but jumped in regardless
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Family friend Dale Hewitt said he had heard that Jack’s grandfather, who he named as Peter, ‘ran down from where he lives and jumped in the lake to try to save them’, the Daily Mail reported.
A vigil was held at Kinghurst last night as another schoolboy aged six remains in critical condition in hospital.
He was pulled from the water by emergency crews, including a police officer who tried to punch through the thick ice in desperation.
Mourners left flowers, balloons, toys and lit candles in memory of the victims, only one of which has been named locally.
Dozens of people turned up to a vigil at Babbs Mill Lake on Monday evening (Picture SWNS)
People lit candles in memory of the three boys who died (Picture: SWNS)
Many were seen crying at the scene and praying (Picture: SWNS)
West Midlands Police said nobody else had been reported missing but searches of the lake are continuing.
Superintendent Richard Harris, of West Midlands Police, said during a conference: ‘We have to be 100% certain that there is no one else possibly in the water at this time.
‘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% certain we will be carrying on searches throughout the course of today.’
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He added: ‘Police officers did go into the water.
‘They were joined by other members of the other emergency services. Some of the officers went in waist deep.
‘One of my officers was trying to punch through the ice to actually rescue the children themselves.
‘That officer as a result of that had some mild hypothermia yesterday. I’m pleased to say that he’s now been released from hospital and he’s absolutely fine.’
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‘To find out he died trying to save three lads he didn’t even know, that just sums him up.’
