Solihull: Thousands donate after boys' ice lake deaths

Jack Johnson (left), brothers Finlay and Samuel Butler and Thomas Stewart died after falling into the icy lake last month

A fundraising page for the families of four boys who drowned after falling into an icy lake has reached almost £100,000 in donations.

Finlay Butler, eight, and his younger brother Samuel, six, died, as did their cousin Thomas Stewart, 11, and another boy, Jack Johnson, 10.

The friends were pulled from a lake at Babbs Mill Park, Kingshurst, in Birmingham, on 11 December.

More than 3,000 people have donated £92,000 towards the families.

A full inquest into the deaths of the four boys will take place on 6 July

Hundreds of people paid tribute to the boys by leaving flowers, cards and balloons by a tree near the park.

An inquest last month confirmed the boys died from drowning.

They were in the water more than 20 minutes after the first 999 calls, Birmingham and Solihull Coroner's Court heard.

Three were pulled out of the water 22 minutes afterwards, while the fourth boy was pulled out nine minutes after the others.

A full inquest into all four deaths will take place on 6 July.