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A teenage boy has been rescued after falling through the ice at a city park lake.
Four fire engines and paramedics were scrambled to Tunstall Park yesterday where the 13-year-old had ended up in the freezing water.
Now fire crews have issued a warning against ever trying to walk on frozen water as North Staffordshire remains in the grips of an Arctic blast.
The incident comes as the region remains in the grip of an Arctic blast, with sub-zero temperatures following hours of snowfall.
Large parts of the UK have seen freezing conditions this week, with icy surfaces making lakes and ponds particularly dangerous.
Paramedics say the youngster didn’t wish to go to hospital and was treated at the scene.
The alarm was raised at around 3.35pm where the youngster had seemingly got himself onto the island in the middle of the lake off Victoria Park Road.
A spokeswoman for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed four engines and the water rescue team were sent to the scene.
A pedestrian walks their dog across a snow-covered cricket pitch today in Glossop, Derbyshire
A man walks down a snow-covered street in the Derbyshire town of Glossop this morning
The A97 in the Aberdeenshire village of Rhynie today amid severe snowy and icy conditions
She said: ‘We were called to Tunstall Park following reports of a 13-year-old boy stranded on an island in the middle of the lake after falling through thin ice.
‘Four appliances and a water rescue team attended the scene alongside colleagues from West Midlands Ambulance Service.
‘Crews used a sled to rescue the boy and he was left in the care of paramedics.’
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: ‘We were called to reports of a person in the water off Victoria Park Road, Tunstall.
‘Two paramedic officers and an ambulance responded.
‘A teenage boy had been rescued from a lake by fire colleagues and received treatment by ambulance staff at the scene.
‘The boy didn’t require hospital treatment and was left with family.’
Firefighters have warned against trying to walk on frozen water – while dog owners have been told to keep pets on leads so they don’t end up falling in.
A man walks his two dogs through thick snow in Lumsden, Scotland on Tuesday
Several walkers who became stranded in heavy snow in Bethesda, Wales on Tuesday were rescued by a vintage WWII cargo carrier thanks to collector Andrew Singleton
A man clears snow from a road with a digger near Gartly in Aberdeenshire this morning
A double-decker bus crashed on an icy surface on Aigburth Drive in Liverpool this morning
People enjoy the snow in Westminster this afternoon as the UK is hit by severe weather
The incident came after the Potteries had seen hours of snow and sub-zero temperatures.
Colin Wright, a crew manager who attended the rescue in Tunstall, said: ‘Thankfully, the boy was not seriously hurt, but the outcome could have been very different.
‘We are reminding people to never attempt to walk across frozen water, as you could easily fall into freezing cold water and people should never walk too close to the edge, as it might be slippery and you could fall in.
‘Dogs should always be kept on a lead, so they do not fall in but if they do, always call 999 and never attempt to rescue them yourself.’
Temperatures have plunged well below freezing in recent days, with overnight lows dropping to as low as -12.5C in parts of the UK.
Forecasters say icy conditions are likely to persist, increasing the risk posed by frozen lakes and waterways.
