A 10-year-old died a hero after trying to rescue three other youngsters who fell into an icy lake, his distraught family revealed.
Relatives said schoolboy Jack Johnson bravely ran 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 the hospital. The eldest was named locally as Thomas.
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Jack’s aunt Charlotte McIlmurray spoke about 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 and 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.
Tonight, as darkness falls 24 hours on from the tragedy, a crowd gathered at the scene of the incident.
As school time ends on Monday, December 12, children with families have come to Babbs Mill Lake to pay their respects to boys aged 8, 10 and 11 who were confirmed to have died in the incident.
Police officers who tried to help the three boys who drowned in a lake were applauded for their bravery at the vigil.
The line of officers - including some who were at the scene - arrived to lay flowers.
Several hundred residents applauded the officers who looked visibly upset as they left and comforted each other.
Children clutching hot water bottles stood in silence.
Relatives of the boys arrived to light candles and place them at the base of a tree.
They read the tributes left and hugged each other just yards away from the lake entrance, which is still taped off and guarded by police.
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 parents 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.
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