Babbs Mill Lake tragedy witness helped policeman with bleeding hands stay warm

Police officer's 'hand was bleeding from where he tried to break through the ice to try and grab the boys', Sandra Colley tells ITV News Central Presenter Sameena Ali-Khan

An eye-witness who lived near to the scene of Babbs Mill Lake in Kingshurst in Solihull says she helped the police officer who smashed through the ice to try and save one of the young boys who fell in the lake.

Sandra Colley spoke to ITV Central and explained how she handed out blankets to police officers and looked after the policeman who smashed through the ice in an attempt to save one of the boys.

She said: "Two police officers came to the door asking if I had any blankets because one of the officers - it was the officer I assume who smashed through the ice and tried to get to one of the boys or the children out."

Her comments come as three children have died and one remains in hospital in a critical condition after falling into the frozen lake in Solihull.

The boys aged 11, 10 and eight died after being pulled from the icy lake, West Midlands Police confirmed earlier today.

A fourth boy, age six, remains in a critical condition at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Ms Colley adds: "They put him into the car and all his hands were bleeding.

"So I grabbed some blankets and gave them to the police officers. They got the policeman who was injured into the police car.

"They said he was suffering from hyperthermia and they asked me to stay with him while they went back to the scene.

It's believed the police officer went to hospital for treatment.

Ms Colley described the day as "horrendous", before adding: "His hand was bleeding from where he tried to break through the ice to try and grab the boys.

Reports from the scene and social media videos indicate the boys were playing on the ice and fell through, the fire service said.

Temperatures are thought to have plunged to 1C (34F) in the area at the time of the incident, falling to -3C (26F) overnight.