Bloxwich canal death: Boy, four, dies after falling into water

Police have cordoned off the area around the canal

A four-year-old boy has died after falling into a canal in the West Midlands.

Police were alerted to a child in water off Razorbill Way, Bloxwich, at about 12:15 GMT.

He was pulled from the canal by officers but despite efforts to revive him he later died at Birmingham Children's Hospital, West Midlands Police said.

There are no suspicious circumstances, it added.

"Our thoughts are with his family, and the rest of the community, at this deeply distressing time," a spokesman said.

The ambulance service said it sent paramedics and the Midlands Air Ambulance to the scene where they found the child in a critical condition.

Councillor Pete Smith said the canal ran close to a new housing estate

Pete Smith, a councillor for the Blakenall ward, said the community was in "utter shock" at the news.

He said that section of the canal was not fenced off, despite only being about two metres (6.5ft) from new houses on Razorbill Way and a children's play area.

Mr Smith said the issue of fencing had not been raised with him previously, but he would now look into the possibility of getting it installed.

He added: "Our thoughts are obviously with the boy's family at this moment, it's an absolute tragedy."

The new houses are just metres from the canal, Mr Smith said

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