Firefighters from Croydon have been dipping their toes in the icy water of Clapham Common Pond.

Fire crews have been gearing up for the latests cold snap by training for rescues from freezing lakes and ponds.  

Their training exercise was a chance for the firefighters to brush up on their water rescue skills and an opportunity to warn people about the dangers of walking on frozen ponds.

During the exercise a firefighter, who was wearing a wet suit and protective clothing, entered the frozen pond, whilst his colleagues, using specialist water rescue equipment, including inflatable boats, rescued him.

  Station manager David O’Neill, one of the Brigade’s water rescue specialists, who was at the scene, said: “We wanted to show people how incredibly dangerous it is to walk on frozen ponds and lakes.

"It’s virtually impossible to tell how thick the ice is and if you fall in, you won’t survive for long in these conditions.

“We’d urge people to stay well away from frozen water.

"If you have a dog, please keep it on a lead as the vast majority of people we get called out to are those who have fallen through the ice after they’ve followed their dog.

“With a new series of Dancing on Ice coming up we’d also like to remind people interested in ice skating to practice their skills on professional ice rinks, not frozen ponds.

  “If you see someone in danger on the ice, or even in the water, call 999. Firefighters will attend and will use specialist equipment to get you out quickly and safely.”