Police have issued an urgent warning to parents after children were spotted playing on a frozen lake.
Widnes Police issued an urgent warning on Twitter after they received reports of kids playing on the lake at Victoria Park in Widnes on Monday, December 12. They added that officers are now patrolling the area and they're urging parents to speak to their children about the dangers.
It comes just hours after three schoolboys died after being pulled from an icy lake in Birmingham.
READ MORE: Three schoolboys dead after falling into an icy lake in Solihull
A spokesperson from Widnes Police said: "WARNING – This afternoon we’ve had reports of children playing on the lake at Victoria Park, Widnes. Officers are patrolling the area and we’re urging parents to speak to their children about the dangers, particularly following the tragic deaths near Solihull."
Emergency services were called to reports of children falling into a lake in Babbs Mill Park, Solihull, on Sunday, December 11. Four children were taken to hospital in a critical condition, after suffering cardiac arrests during the incident.
The search continued into the night, after reports that six children had fallen in. Police said it was "no longer a search and rescue operation".
West Midlands Police has now confirmed that three boys, aged 11, 10 and eight have died. A fourth boy, aged six, remains in a critical condition in hospital.
A West Midlands Police statement said: "Three boys have tragically died after falling into the lake at Babbs Mill Park in Solihull yesterday afternoon. The boys, aged 11, 10 and eight, were rushed to hospital after being pulled from the water. Sadly, they could not be revived and our thoughts are with their family and friends at this deeply devastating time. We'll have specialist officers offering them as much support as we can. A fourth boy, aged six, remains in a critical condition in hospital.
"We've been working alongside colleagues from the fire and ambulance services as we do all we can to support those involved. Searches of the lake are continuing as we seek to establish exactly what happened and if anyone else fell into the water.
"We understand how distressing this is for the families and the wider community. We would ask people to not speculate or share any video footage at this stage."
Since the news of the tragic incident spread across the country, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) have also expressed their sadness after the tragic incident have issued a warning to families in the region.
They sent a Tweet, which read: "After the tragic events in Solihull, MFRS urges the public to take care around water in current freezing conditions- ice that has formed will be thin and you can easily go through it. Please take care around water and stay safe.
"Do not venture onto ice whatever the circumstances."
Area Manager for MFRS Mark Thomas said: "In Merseyside we are never far from open water- please be very careful in the current freezing conditions and never venture out onto ice. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of everyone involved in this awful and very sad incident."
Liverpool City Council also posted a video on Twitter showing the lake frozen over at Sefton Park and warned people against trying to walk over it.
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