Firefighters were called to Richmond Park to rescue a dog from the middle of a frozen lake today.

Holly, a seven-month-old spaniel, got stranded on an island in the middle of lower Pen Pond, after chasing birds across the ice. His owner, scared of falling in herself, had to call for help at about 10.30am.

It took two fire engines from Kingston, one from Wandsworth, another from Tooting, one fire rescue unit from Heston and one fire rescue unit from Battersea, plus a station manager, to rescue the dog.

The smile on the owner’s face when it was returned seemed to make it all worthwhile, one onlooker said, and a police officer kindly drove them to a vet so Holly could have a check-up.

Kingston white watch manager Jeff Hall said: “It was quite a different job. We don’t often get calls like that. The owner was really grateful and it was a job that went really well and everyone was really pleased with the way it turned out.”

Firefighters used inflatable mud platforms as stepping stones across the ice and Mr Hall said it was the first time, to his knowledge, they had been used on ice, so they treated it as a training exercise.

When they reached the dog, which was cold and wet from entering the water, they strapped it into a stretcher before heading back.

Witness Alan Pettitt said it took about an hour to get the dog to safety and that the dog was very lucky that it was a happy ending.

Mr Pettitt said: “She was called Holly but she should have been called Lucky, because without luck she would have fallen through the thin ice in the middle and not got out.

“The dog seemed fine, it didn’t struggle at all when they put it onto the stretcher.”

Spiro Ozer, who was walking his dog in the park at the time, said. “The dog didn’t seem scared at all but I only saw her when she was being held by the owner, so she was probably happy.”

Surrey Fire and Rescue issued advice to pet owners this week to keep pets and livestock away from frozen lakes and ponds.

A spokesman said: “Children and animals can easily fall through the ice becoming trapped or overcome by the freezing water. Should your child or pet get into trouble, never enter the water yourself to rescue them. If available, throw an emergency buoyancy aid and call the emergency services or RSPCA immediately.”

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