South Yorkshire firefighters called to youths trying to crack ice on Doncaster lake

Firefighters were called to Doncaster after two youths were seen trying to crack the ice in the middle of a frozen lake.

Crews on four fire engines were sent to Shaftholme Road on Monday afternoon after the pair – described as "young men" – were seen around 25 metres from the water's edge.

They ran from the scene into nearby woods before emergency services arrived and there was no visible damage to the ice, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

But area manager Matt Gillatt, head of the joint police and fire community safety department, said the outcome could have been very different.

He said: "At this time of year, and particularly during this period of cold weather, avoid standing on iced over bodies of water. You don’t know how thick the ice is or how deep the water is below and you could get into serious difficulty if you fall in."

It comes after after three young boys died after falling through the ice on a lake in Solihull on Sunday. A fourth boy, aged six, remains critically ill in hospital.

On Monday morning North Yorkshire Police spoke to four boys who were spotted trying to smash the ice on a frozen pond with a scooter in York.

A North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "With temperatures continuing to stay around freezing over the next few days and news of the tragic incident in Solihull over the weekend, we wanted to reiterate our warnings about staying away from frozen water.

"It might be tempting to walk or play on frozen water but ice can easily break and you have no idea how thick it is.

"If the ice breaks and you fall in, the temperature of the water can lead to cold water shock, an involuntary response which seriously affects your movement and breathing."

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