People in Lichfield and Burntwood are being reminded of the dangers posed by frozen lakes and ponds.
As the current spell of winter weather and freezing temperatures take hold, firefighters are reminding local residents not to take risks.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Glynn Luznyj said: “Last year we dealt with a number of incidents involving pets on the ice and people entering freezing water. The worry is that children will see frozen lakes as playgrounds and that could prove fatal.
“Sometimes bodies of water can look deceptively frozen and it actually only be a very thin layer of ice which will not take much weight at all.
“At the moment the water in lakes and ponds is of a dangerously low temperature and many bodies of water across the county are starting to ice over. If people or pets fall through ice they will quickly get into difficulty because the cold water is a real shock to the system.
“If you see someone, or a pet, fall through the ice and get into difficulty, do not risk yourself by trying to rescue them, instead ring 999 and ask for the fire and rescue service immediately.”
