Lake death toddler 'slipped'

Matthew Perry went missing on Thursday afternoon

A toddler who died after being pulled from a lake in Telford may have slipped off a stone walkway, police said on Monday.

Matthew Perry is thought to have fallen into Withy Pool in Telford Town Park after he ran on to a line of concrete pads shaped like lilies.

The youngster, from Bloxwich, West Midlands, died in hospital on Saturday.

Detective Constable Ed Roberts, of Telford CID, said officers were treating Matthew's death as a tragic accident.

Quiet splash

He said the youngster ran a short distance downhill towards the secluded lake, which is four feet deep, possibly lured by the sound of a fairground.

"We think he has run out on to this walkway, which extends about 20 feet into the middle of the lake.

"The individual stones are shaped like lily pads and are only about three feet in diameter and a couple of inches above the water.

This all happened within a couple of minutes of the poor lad whizzing down to the pool

Detective Constable Ed Roberts

"We're not sure if he slipped - he was a young toddler who would have been a bit unsteady on his feet.

"Because the stones were so close to the water, people would not necessarily have heard the splash."

Mr Roberts said that two girls were thought to have been the only people at the lake when the accident happened on Thursday and appealed for them to come forward.

He added: "It is a tragic accident. This all happened within a couple of minutes of the poor lad whizzing down to the pool."

West Mercia Police are also trying to trace three teenage girls from Cannock who took part in the search for Matthew.

Matthew was found unconscious in Withy Pool

Emily Jones, Gemma Wright and Laura Davies, all aged 13, helped look for Matthew, who was reported missing by his parents at about 1315 BST.

Helen and Wayne Perry, who had been enjoying a day out in the park with Matthew and their other son Ryan, have also asked for anyone who saw what happened to come forward.

Matthew was rescued from the pool by members of the public after he wandered from his family.

He was resuscitated by paramedics and taken to the town's Princess Royal Infirmary.

The toddler was then transferred to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, where he died on Saturday without regaining consciousness.

A post mortem examination is due to take place on Tuesday.

Telford and Wrekin Borough Council, which owns the park, is carrying out its own investigation into the accident and has informed the Health and Safety Executive.