A brave teen has told of how she used branches to try and pull boys out of the frozen lake at Babbs Mill Park in Solihull on Sunday. Three boys have sadly been confirmed dead, with a fourth fighting for his life.
Oliwia Szewc, 13, spoke of the 'horrifying' moment she ripped branches from a nearby tree to try and help the boys from land. She told ITV she was meeting a friend at the park near Birmingham on Sunday when the tragic ordeal unfolded, and was 'clueless' of how best to help.
The schoolgirl said she 'tried my best' to reach the boys with tree branches, but struggled as the branches proved too short, reports BirminghamLive.
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"I was just trying to find branches of trees and try to pass to them but they were all too short," brave Olivia told ITV. "I was just trying my best to think of different ways to at least help them or do anything for them to float on the surface of the water so they wouldn't drown.
"I was thinking, what would be able to pull them back to the shore? And then I just looked at a tree and I was like, that's it. I should just get a branch I try. I got the branch, but it was too short."
People of all ages have been arriving throughout Tuesday to pay their respects to the three boys who died after falling through ice at a Solihull park pond. Some had brought child's toys, or sweets, to leave, others had balloons or bouquets on Tuesday.
The messages on the hundreds of cards told their own story, with several addressed to the "Babbs Mill Boys". One read: "You will never be forgotten boys, our three Kings of Kingshurst."
Meanwhile, a dive team from Nottinghamshire Police has been searching the lake throughout Tuesday morning as its neighbouring West Midlands Police continues to try to establish the circumstances of how the three children died in the icy waters. Oliwia has been supported by cops from WMP, who she has spoken to about what she saw.
"I was willing to give up anything just at least to save one of them," the teen said. "Knowing that one of them's still in hospital is kind of a relief because I was at least able to help someone."
She continued: "It was just horrifying and I was just clueless because I tried to help but I couldn't but I tried my best."
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