This is the moment a hero passer-by pulled a man out of a frozen lake when he fell through the ice while trying to save a dog.
The man was attempting to rescue the animal after it walked onto the ice on Sunday afternoon at Connaught Water in Epping Forest, Essex.
But he fell in, and the passer-by then entered the water to help – before video footage captured by a member of the public showed both men managing to get out.
The pair were treated by paramedics and the dog was safely reunited with its owners, but firefighters urged others not to go into frozen water and instead call for help.
Witness Ozgur Ontas, from Chingford, told BBC News that the men were in the water for ten to 15 minutes before they managed to get out.
Mr Ontas, who was at the lake with his wife and daughter, confirmed that the emergency services arrived soon after.
He said: ‘It’s problematic for dog walkers; it wasn’t just this man, other people’s dogs also went into the lake and ran on the ice. This could happen again.’
The East of England Ambulance Service said one of the two men was taken to Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, East London, for further assessment and care.
The man is rescued by a passer-by at Connaught Water in Epping Forest, Essex, on Sunday
The hero passer-by got the man out of the water during the rescue mission in Essex on Sunday
Essex Fire and Rescue Service watch manager Gary Dyer said: ‘We completely understand why people want to help in situations like this.
‘But cold water can overwhelm the body very quickly. The safest thing to do is stay out of the water and call us – we have the training and equipment to respond safely.’
The incident happened at 2.20pm on Sunday – with Met Office data showing air temperatures at the time were at about 3C (37F) in the Epping Forest area.
Firefighters said that if someone or an animal gets into difficulty in cold water, people should not enter the water but instead call 999 and ask for the fire service.
They should also maintain visual contact and reassure the person or animal from a place of safety.
The fire service also asked people to ‘take extra care around frozen lakes and waterways and avoid walking on ice, which can look solid but is often thin and unstable’.
