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Ice warning (Notts Fire and Rescue Release)

As temperatures continue to plummet, Nottinghamshire's emergency services are joining forces to warn children of the dangers of playing on frozen lakes and ponds.

Police were called out to Iremonger’s Pond, off Main Road, Wilford, this week following reports that a student had walked on to the ice and written his name in the covering snow.

When officers arrived the youngster had come off the pond and he and other youngsters were given words of advice. Inspector John Woodward said:

The recent freezing temperatures have covered numerous lakes, ponds and streams with a layer of ice.

No matter how safe this appears, youngsters should never venture out onto the ice, which can crack quickly and without warning. If a child falls through into the cold water they can become trapped under the ice and unable to break through to the air.

Firefighters are also urging people not to put themselves at risk, having been called to rescue people at a number of incidents in recent years. Station Manager Andy Bettison said: “Frozen lakes and ponds are not playgrounds and we’d urge parents to make sure their children know this. The water in them is at such a low temperature if people do fall through the ice it is likely they will get into danger very quickly.

As well as children we would advise people to keep their pets away from these high risk areas too, minimising the risk of them falling into the water or getting themselves into difficulty. “If you see someone, or a pet, fall through the ice and get into difficulty never try and rescue them yourself, ring 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service. We have specialist equipment and crews that are trained to carry out rescues in very difficult circumstances.

A spokesperson for East Midlands Ambulance Service said: “As well as the danger of falling through the ice and drowning, the shock of being suddenly immersed in freezing cold water can bring on a heart attack. We are issuing this warning to prevent a tragedy from happening.”

(Friday 8 January 09:00:00 GMT)

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