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A huge emergency response has been dispatched after a number of ‘youngsters’ were seen playing on a frozen lake.
A number of youngsters were reportedly seen running on the ice in Yardley Wood Park, Birmingham, earlier this afternoon.
Three police vehicles were parked outside the entrance to Trittiford Mill Park and there were five other emergency response teams nearby.
They included two fire apparatus, a technical rescue truck, a response vehicle and an unmarked white car with flashing blue lights on Highfield Road above the River Cole, according to Birmingham Live.
On the frozen surface of the lake itself, more than half a dozen lifebuoys could be seen strewn about, it was claimed.
The emergency team’s response came after three people were seen on the ice on both sides of the frozen lake, according to Birmingham Live.
The incident comes nearly a week after emergency crews had the harrowing task of trying to save the lives of four young boys who fell into Babbs Mill Lake in Kingshurst just before 3pm on Sunday 11 December.
Just yesterday, the local community gathered on Saturday, December 17 at 4 p.m. to hold a vigil in their memory.
And tomorrow, an investigation will be opened into the death of boys aged 6, 8, 10 and 11, including two brothers and their cousin.
A witness braving a freezing wind to walk around the Trittiford Mill Park lake told BirminghamLive: ‘I saw youngsters venturing into the lake with no regard for the fact that four young boys from Kingshurst had just lost their lives.
“I even saw one jump up and down to see if it would crack. I don’t know what must be going through their minds.
In a statement, West Midlands Police said: ‘We were called to Trittiford Mill Park, Priory Road, Yardley Wood, shortly after 11am today to reports of boys playing on ice on the lake.
“The boys had left the lake when we arrived, but we identified them and offered them safety tips about the dangers of playing on the ice.”
Rain is forecast for many areas from this afternoon as the freezing temperatures of the past ten days recede.
Temperatures are expected to climb from 3C at 3pm today to 10C by May and 12C by 5am with a peak of 13C expected on Monday afternoon. The park’s lakes may still appear frozen, but emergency service crews are hoping such a rapid rise in temperatures won’t inspire others to try skating on the lakes.
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