Search for boy, 13, at lake stood down for second night

Ryan Evans' school said it was "deeply shocked" about the situation

Police divers have called off for a second night a search for a 13-year-old boy who went missing at a lake in Staffordshire.

Three boys were spotted "in distress" at Westport Lake in Stoke-on-Trent at about 16:50 BST on Monday.

Two of them made it safely out of the lake but one, named by police as Ryan Evans, is still missing.

The search was halted just after 22:00 BST having resumed on Tuesday morning after an initial overnight suspension.

Nottinghamshire Police had deployed a specialist dive team to search under the water.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service's water rescue team conducted a waded search in the shallower water. A West Midlands Ambulance Service team searched along the banks of the lake.

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Ch Insp John Owen, of Staffordshire Police, said teams would be "systematically" searching the lake.

He said: "It is very difficult for us all. We are fathers, we are mothers - this impacts on us, this impacts on the local area and we are doing all we can just to work with that family to reassure them and give them any type of comfort."

Liana Gilbride said her daughter was due to meet friends at the lake on Monday but did not arrive until after the emergency services were already at the scene.

She said: "My daughter was distressed when she rang me to tell me. Everybody is devastated and praying for a miracle."

Ryan's school, the city's Haywood Academy, said: "We are deeply shocked and saddened by the current situation."

A school spokeswoman added: "During this difficult period we have made sure that professional support is in place for students to access."

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Stoke-on-Trent City Council said, at its deepest, the lake was 2.9m (9.5ft) and on average between 1.5m and 2m (4.9-6.5ft).

The body of water sits above the old Brownhills Colliery and was formed in 1884, when the workings hit the water table, flooding the tunnels and ground above.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) warned that children and young people should be aware of the dangers of entering cold water.

Open water swimming advice

• Get to know where you are swimming and check the conditions before going in

• Make sure you are properly equipped

• Beware of the cold

• Make sure someone knows where you have gone and why, and that you have the means to call for help - especially in remote locations

• Take note of local safety advice and respect the countryside, landowners and other users

Source: National Water Safety Forum