The bodies of Harvinder Singh, aged 15, Satvir Singh, 17, and 21-year-old Tajinder Singh, all from Wolverhampton, were later recovered from Ullswater.

They were part of a 15-strong group enjoying a two-day trip from a temple in Oldbury. They had been staying in Glenridding, a village overlooking Ullswater.

It is believed Satvir, from Rosemary Crescent in Goldthorn Park, had been wading up to his waist just 20ft from the shore when he suddenly disappeared from view.

Harvinder, of Marston Road, Blakenhall, and Tajinder, of Mason Street, Blakenhall, rushed in to help him but onlookers said within minutes they too “were just gone”.

Another boy, 15-year-old Gurjant Singh, from Oldbury, was pulled to safety by members of the public who waded into the lake. He was taken to hospital with hypothermia but his injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

Onlookers said a “lethal” hidden under-water shelf in the lake was probably to blame for the tragedy on Saturday.

Lakes coastguard Graeme Connacher said that the water dropped from knee deep to around 18ft in a single step, and could be “shockingly cold” even on a sunny day.

Ranjit Jandu, Harvinder’s best friend, described him as “one of the best people you could ever wish to meet”.

He said the teenager, a pupil at Highfields School, had dreamed of becoming a police officer.

By Victoria Nash

Read tributes to the teenagers in today’s Express & Star.

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