The Coastguard has issued a warning after a group of youths “encouraged” one of their group to walk on the frozen lake at Cleethorpes Country Park.
On Saturday, it is reported that a youth was seen by passers-by at the Country Park walking on the ice after being “encouraged” to do so by his friend. It comes after the body of water froze over following the sub-zero temperatures in recent days.
Taking to social media, Cleethorpes Coastguard has warned people to stay off the ice around bodies of water.
The full post on Facebook reads: “We’re not the ‘Fun Police’, and we like to see people out enjoying themselves. However, when we receive information/photos of children doing potentially dangerous activities, it concerns us.
“Yes, we’ve all been children and have probably done similar things. But we don’t want your 2025 to get off to a bad start. We had a call before Christmas to reports of a child falling through the ice. This prompted a large-scale ‘Multi Agency’ response, putting people’s lives at risk.
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“Have fun, but stay off the ice around bodies of water. You just don’t know how thick the ice is, and you could very easily end up falling through the ice. The water in these conditions does not need to be very deep to get you into difficulty.
“This group of boys, we’re seen by an anonymous member of the public, encouraging their friend to walk on the ice. Thankfully, he got off the ice after being shouted at by the passer-by in Cleethorpes Country Park. In a Coastal Emergency dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
A North East Lincolnshire Council spokesperson has also warned of the dangers of walking on icy lakes and ponds, urging the public to steer clear of them completely.
They told Grimsby Live: “Frozen water can look very attractive, but it can be very dangerous, and we urge everyone not to step onto the Boating Lake or any other frozen lake or pond. Do not wander too close to the edge as icy and wet conditions can cause you to slip and fall in.
Much of the Boating Lake in Cleethorpes has frozen over
(Image: Cleethorpes Boating Lake)
“Do not be tempted to test the thickness of the ice as it is easy to slip from the bank and fall through into the freezing water. Please make sure that your children understand how dangerous it is to play on the ice and please keep all pets on leads so that they do not fall into the water.
“The temperature is set to rise in the coming days but please remember that the icy patches can take some time to thaw and the dangers to life are real.”