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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Susie Beever

Police hunt boy who pushed girl into frozen pond in 'dangerous' prank before Solihull

A girl was deliberately pushed into a frozen pond just days before the tragedy in Solihull that killed four young boys.

She was walking in a park in Hull with her sister when she was shoved into the freezing water by a boy, according to her furious father.

Thankfully, she was able to scramble out of the water and was taken to hospital where she was given the all-clear as local police hit out at the "dangerous and reckless" act.

The attack occurred two days before four boys fell into ice-covered water at Babbs Mill Park on Sunday afternoon.

(Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)

Three of the children - aged eight, 10 and 11 - who were pulled from the water died on Sunday, while a fourth - aged six - was rushed to hospital in a critical condition before he was tragically confirmed dead on Wednesday.

It's thought one of the boys, who has been named as Jack Johnson, was bravely attempting to rescue the others when he entered the water.

Humberside Police have now asked for any witnesses to the incident which happened in the city's East Park on Friday afternoon.

The girl's furious dad meanwhile also spoke out, claiming she had been poking the ice with a stick when she was approached from behind and pushed.

"She landed backwards in the water and was drenched. Because of the way it shelves, she couldn't get out," he told the BBC.

Police and fire services have desperately urged people not to play on frozen bodies of water (Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)

"She was still shivering hours later."

East Hull Community Beat Manager PC Murphy, the officer investigating the case, said: “This was an extremely dangerous and reckless act on the part of others, and I would appeal for anyone who witnessed the incident or has mobile phone footage, that would help us to find those responsible."

Head of Special Ops Unit Supt Lee Edwards, from the force, said: “With the recent tragic events where children have lost their lives in a frozen lake in Solihull.

"I want to offer my sincere condolences to those parents who have lost their children in such tragic circumstances.

“I would also like to appeal to parents, guardians and children themselves, to please stay away from open water, especially frozen water. I share the advice of Humberside Fire and Rescue to stay away from frozen water.

East Park, Hull, where a girl was pushed into freezing water (Katie Pugh)

"Bodies of water which freeze when the temperature hits zero and below may look like fun places to play, but can become dangerous for those who venture onto the ice.

"Lakes, ponds and certain stretches of rivers may look as if they will support the weight of people or animals, but sadly that is not always the case.

"The added hazards are the slippery banks and the ice-cold temperature of the water should an incident occur."

West Midlands Police officers lay flowers at the scene where four boys fell into frozen water in Babbs Mill Park, Solihull (Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)

Emergency services up and down the country have urged young people not to risk their lives around lakes, ponds and other freezing bodies of water this week.

Despite the devastating news in Solihull, police and rescue services have said they have still been called to reports of children playing on ice.

One group of officers in Cumbria were deployed after a group of up to 30 children were seen on an ice-covered lake in a park in Carlisle on Monday afternoon.

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