England footballer Jude Bellingham joins tributes for Solihull lake victims

Jude Bellingham today sent his “love and support” to the families of three boys who died after falling into an icy lake.

The England midfielder took to social media to pay tribute to the children, aged eight, 10 and 11, who died after falling into the lake at Babbs Mill Park near Solihull in the West Midlands.

A fourth boy, aged six, remains in a critical condition in hospital after being pulled from the water. Bellingham, who is from Stourbridge in the West Midlands, shared a photograph of a vigil held beside the entrance to the park in Solihull, on Instagram, writing: “Sending love and support to the families, RIP”, followed by a broken heart emoji.

Hundreds of people attended the vigil, placing candles and flowers beneath a tree.

The 10-year-old victim, named locally as Jack Johnson, is believed to have jumped in to save the other children, who he did not know. Friends also left tributes to another victim, named only as Thomas, aged 11.

Superintendent Richard Harris of West Midlands Police said the families of the victims are “absolutely devastated”, adding that one police officer tried to punch through the ice to rescue the children and was treated for mild hypothermia as a result.

He said that searches are continuing at the lake to be “100 per cent certain that there is no one else in the water at this time”. Although there have been no reports of anybody else missing.

It comes as the UK has been gripped by freezing temperatures, snow and ice.

Schools in London faced a second day of disruption as many were forced to close due to treacherous conditions.