A schoolboy died a hero as he tried to rescue three other youngsters who plunged into an icy lake, his distraught family revealed.
Relatives said ten-year-old Jack Johnson bravely went to the aid of the other children after hearing their screams.
Tragically two of the youngsters – aged 11 and eight – died and the third, aged just six, remains critically ill in hospital.
They are understood to all be members of the same family. The eldest was named locally as Thomas.
Jack’s aunt Charlotte McIlmurray revealed how he ignored his own safety to bravely try to rescue the other kids.
She posted on Facebook : “The 10-year-old boy is my nephew. He seen one go threw the ice an he ran an tried to save them.
“Our prayers and thoughts are with the other family. We are just broken over it.
“To find out he died trying to save 3 lads he didn’t even know, that just sums him up. He was amazing.”
Jack’s horrified family members raced to the scene as the rescue operation was taking place.
Dozens of floral tributes were left next to the lake in Kingshurst, Solihull, by grieving relatives and friends.
They included a moving note from a classmate of the 11-year-old victim, named locally as Thomas.
It 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.”
Friends said Thomas was a pupil at the Park Hall Academy in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham.
The school said on Twitter : “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved and our local community at this extremely difficult time.
“Please rest assured that anyone affected will be supported.”
Thomas was the first boy to be pulled out of the water.
Local resident Katie O’Driscoll, 32, said: “He was 11 and the first to be pulled from the lake but he has passed away.
“I heard that the others went in to try and rescue him. It’s really hard to imagine what those parents are going through.”
Jack is understood to have been a pupil at St Anthony’s Roman Catholic Primary School. It was closed yesterday.
Marcus Brain, chair of the school’s board of governors, said: “One of our children has passed away.
“I’ve spoken to the family. The staff are absolutely devastated. The lad was a lovely boy. Everyone is in bits. We’re all in shock.”
Several relatives of the dead boys visited the lake today but were too upset to talk.
Jack’s dad Kirk Johnson and mum Kerry McIlmurray were being comforted by relatives.
One family member posted on Facebook: “Life really can get taken away at any moment.
“Hug your little and loved ones that extra bit tighter tonight. Absolutely devastated for my family.”
Another relative posted: “Seriously, no-one knows when it’s the last time you will see someone. Life’s too short, real short.”
And another family member wrote: “Heartbroken. Time to stick together as a family now.”
The tragedy unfolded on Sunday afternoon as the youngsters walked on the ice at Babbs Mill Lake.
Local resident Dan Hall said a young sister of one of the boys witnessed the tragedy and other relatives tried to help.
The shocked 38-year-old raced to the scene after hearing a commotion from his nearby home.
He told the Mirror: “On the way down to the lake I met a teenage girl on a bike who said that some kids had got into trouble on the ice.
“She was a relative. She’d come down to help and met up with a younger girl who was hysterical saying, ‘My brother, my brother’.
“The teenage girl was trying to comfort her younger cousin and saying it was going to be alright.
“But she had only just arrived and the younger girl had seen what had happened.
“They must have been in the water for 15 minutes. It was a further 20 minutes before they were being brought up on stretchers.
“You looked at what was happening and knew deep down that they were struggle to make it. I saw one child who was clearly dead.
“It was just harrowing. Some people were very brave and the emergency services were amazing.
“They were wheeling them up and they were still pumping the kids on the stretchers.”
Supt Richard Harris, of West Midlands Police, said one officer used his bare hands to smash through the ice to rescue the boys.
“He was trying to punch through the ice to rescue the children themselves,” he said.
“As a result of that, the officer had some mild hypothermia. But he is now fine and out of hospital.”
He said the families of the three boys were “absolutely devastated” by their deaths.
“This time of year, in the run-up to Christmas, so close to the event itself, also adds to the tragedy.”
Firefighters who took part in the rescue paid an emotional visit to the makeshift shrine next to the lake on Monday.
Locals began applauding as the men, from Sheldon Red Watch, lay a floral tribute and bowed their heads.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street also left a floral tribute, with a card which read: “Such a tragedy.
“My heart goes out to the families who have lost their most precious gift.
“May their young lives rest in peace and may Kingshurst come together to remember them.”
Commander Richard Stanton, of West Midlands Fire Service, said the tragedy was a “stark reminder” of the dangers of open water.
He said: “Frozen lakes, ponds, canals and reservoirs can look picturesque but they can be lethal.
“There are no greater warnings of this than yesterday’s tragic events.
“We would ask parents and carers to remind their children of the dangers of ice and why they must keep off it.
“Please help us to avoid this from happening again.”
One local resident who arrived at the scene in tears, said: “He was the brightest boy so we just can’t understand it.”
Others said they think the lake should now be filled in.
Stephen Akers, 35, said: “ Hearing this actually made me feel physically sick. I’m not an emotional man but I cried.
“It (the lake) should be filled in now. Years ago there used to be a warden there.
“It’s got rings but what’s the point of them if there’s no one to throw them?
“My son is 18 now but when he was eight I always told him to keep away. The trouble is it’s right next to a park: it’s temptation.”
Police search teams continued to scour the freezing lake for any other victims of the tragedy.
But Supt Harris said nobody else had been reported missing, despite reports six boys could have been involved.
Downing Street said the deaths of the three children were tragic but praised the response of the emergency services.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “This is devastating news for the family and friends of those who have died.
“The Prime Minister’s thoughts are with them and he passes his thanks to the emergency services.”
BBC newsreader Joanna Gosling became overwhelmed with emotion as she announced the deaths of the three boys.
She looked visibly upset before taking a pause and saying: “I’m so sorry, this is terrible news, obviously.”
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents issued ice safety advice yesterday as the Arctic blast continues.
David Walker, head of road and leisure safety, said: “It’s important that people are especially careful around open waters.
“If you encounter somebody who is in trouble on or near ice, it’s vital that you don’t go in too.
“Call the emergency services on 999. If you can, find an object like a pole or a life-ring that they can hold onto and help them stay afloat.”
Source: The Mirror
