Youngsters spotted playing on the ice of Emsworth Mill Pond amid the Solihull lake deaths

Three youngsters were spotted yesterday afternoon playing on the ice of the Emsworth Mill Pond – despite the deaths of three children in Solihull who fell through the ice of a lake in Babbs Mill Park.

The were messing around on the thin sheet of ice, when Liz Iddon noticed their recklessness as they continued to walk around with no cause for concern.

Liz, of nearby Hayling Island, was en route to visit her parents in Emsworth, when she saw the group on the frozen water.

She said: “There were three of them and they weren’t that young, they were old enough to know better. It is unbelievable.

“I was born in 1969, so we were used to really really harsh winters when we were kids, and we would go out on the ice, but we wouldn’t go anywhere near it if it was less than 5in thick, but this was centimetres.”

Liz posted the photograph she captured on Facebook to try and warn others from going on frozen water, in a bid to prevent fatalities.

She said: “I had to post it because of what has happened in Solihull.

“It is putting the responders in real trouble as well but they don’t think about that when they get into difficulty.”

This comes as three children, ages 8, 10 and 11, died after falling through the ice of a frozen lake in Solihull, near Birmingham, on Sunday afternoon. One child, age 6, is still in a critical condition in hospital.

The BBC reported that one of police officers at the scene had to punch the frozen ice to try and rescue the children who had fallen through into the cold water.

A spokesman from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, said: “With the cold weather set to continue, we ask that you are careful around open water and never go onto frozen lakes, ponds, canals or reservoirs.

“In an emergency always dial 999. Follow our guidance to stay safe on and around water.”