Lake tragedy family speaks of devastation

The family of three children who drowned after a car plunged into a lake has spoken of its devastation.

Pauline Ely, the grandmother of the car driver, Courtney Barker, read a statement prepared by Mr Barker and the children's mother. It said they were 'deeply traumatised".

Imran Khan, aged six, his younger brother Aaron, five and their half-sister Sharla Blair, two, drowned in a 20ft deep lake in Arlesey, Bedfordshire.

Mr Barker, the children's 22-year-old mother Claire Armstrong, and a male passenger all escaped from the Vauxhall Astra which rolled over an embankment and plunged into the lake - known locally as the Blue Lagoon.

It has been confirmed by firefighters who recovered the children's bodies that none of them were restrained by seat belts or sitting in child safety seats and all were discovered in the passenger's compartment of the vehicle.

Ms Armstrong said: "This tragic accident has left me and the children's father and family deeply traumatised. The loss of my children is the greatest loss I could ever endure."

Mr Barker, 22, is the partner of Ms Armstrong. The couple were in the car with friend Ryan Purdey when it rolled down a bank into the lake on Saturday afternoon.

Mrs Ely, 63, said: "Imran was a bright and popular boy at school, he was quiet, loved school, and was very studious.

"He loved computers, Pokemons, wrestling and had many friends who frequently asked if Imran could come to their house to play. He was very well behaved and loved his brother and sister very much.

"Aaron was boisterous, bright, cheerful and he also liked computers, Pokemon, playing on his bike and skateboard. Very popular like his brother, he also had many friends in particular had lots of girls as friends. He was a typical boy," said Mrs Ely, from Luton, Bedfordshire.