Greater Manchester police warning over frozen rivers after deaths of three children in Solihull

Greater Manchester police have issued a warning to parents to make sure young children are supervised near the city-region’s frozen watercourses, after the tragic deaths of three boys in the Midlands.

Three boys aged eight, 10 and 11 were rescued from a frozen lake near Solihull on Sunday along with a fourth boy but police confirmed today that three of the youngsters have died, with the fourth still very ill in hospital. A search was also launched for two others thought to be missing but police no longer believe this is the case.

Police said their thoughts were with the families and friends of the boys “at this deeply devastating time” and they would have specialist officers on hand to support them

As sub-zero temperatures are predicted to continue for several days in Greater Manchester, police have reminded parents to speak to their children about the dangers of playing on frozen water courses. A post on the GMP Rochdale Facebook page said: “Following some really tragic news , GMP Rochdale would like to stress the importance of safety around cold water. Please ensure that children are supervised at all times when in the vicinity of cold water and advise children about the dangers of cold water and the impact it can have.”