Parents urged to talk to children about risks of going on ice
The warning has come after the deaths of three children in the West Midlands
Last updated 13th Dec 2022
Parents across the North West are being urged to talk to their children about the dangers of going on ice after the deaths of three children in the West Midlands.
An 8, 10 and 11-year-old died after falling through ice into a lake in Solihull, near Birmingham.
Emergency services were called to the scene just after 2:30 pm on Sunday and arrived after members of the public tried to bring the group to safety.
The tragedy has led to warnings from authorities across the country, including here in Greater Manchester, about the lethal risks of playing on ice.
Lynn Pegler from the Canal and River's Trust in the North West said: "This tragedy is a reminder to us, we desperately want to make sure that nobody else is put in this position.
"It can look beautiful, all the canals, rivers and waterways frozen over and yet it can be absolutely treacherous.
"When the water freezes over, people might be tempted to go and walk on the ice but it can be very thin. You have no idea when you step on it, whether it's going to hold your weight or not.
The advice is absolutely do not, under any circumstances, go on to the ice. It can lead to tragedy, if you do fall in the temperatures are so low at this time of year that your body can fail and it can lead to cardiac arrest within minutes.
"Even young fit healthy people it can affect very, very quickly.
"Parents will be well aware of the dangers perhaps children less so, it would be good to warn them of the dangers and explain that it may look like a pretty playground, but don't go anywhere near it."