An angry mum has suggested the gates to a popular Glasgow park be locked after spotting locals skating and sliding on a frozen pond, just days on from four boys tragically losing their lives when they fell into a lake in Solihull.
Roslyn Adams was walking through Queen's Park on her way to a nail appointment at around 12.30pm on Thursday, December 15, when she was "horrified" to see adults and children walking, running and skidding on the ice.
The 35-year-old, from Thornliebank, said dog owners were chucking toys across the ice for their pets to fetch, a man was playing ice hockey, a woman was ice skating and a group of kids were even sitting in the middle of the pond eating out of a munchie box while on their lunch break from school.
Other grown-ups were reportedly strolling across the ice with coffees and doughnuts bought from a nearby snack van. Roslyn said she "couldn't believe her eyes", particularly after the devastating events down south, which saw four youngsters plunge into the freezing waters of Babbs Mill Lake in the West Midlands town on Sunday, December 11.
The mum-of-one believes people are treating the popular spot in the city's Southside "like a Winter Wonderland" and is wanting the park gates to be locked during the cold spell to prevent another disaster from taking place. Park gates are expected to be kept open due to the right to roam through a public space under the Land Reform Act.
Roslyn told the Record: "I think the council should lock the gates to stop people strolling in and out of the park. People are just strolling and skiting over the pond because there's nothing else to do.
"I understand people take their dogs to the park for a walk and that they have a van on site with teas, coffees and donuts. But it's so dangerous.
"The kids on the pond looked like my son's age. It was so scary to see. I was freezing just walking through the park so I can only imagine how cold it must've been on the ice.
"My heart was in my mouth watching them. At one point there were seven adults standing together with three dogs, and kids sliding across the ice on their bums. They would be distraught if their kids or dogs actually went under. You can't put a price on a life.
"After reading what happened to those poor kids in Solihull, I don't understand how the dangers of the ice isn't at the forefront of people's minds. It's soul-destroying.
"People aren't taking it in. Adults should know better and lead by example. People think it's never going to happen to them. It's heartbreaking to see what's unfolded and people are still not getting it."
On her way back through the park at around 2.30pm, Roslyn said three council vans had hitched up at the water's edge. Workers were apparently asking people to stay away while they threw sand bags onto the pond to test the thickness of the ice, and began trying to break through it with various pieces of equipment.
But their pleas fell on deaf ears, Roslyn claims, as park-goers ignored the warning from officials and continued to venture out onto the body of water. She continued: "I assumed the council had received complaints about it all. There were several workers bashing through the ice metres away from people, but they were just ignoring them. I couldn't believe it.
"I was tiptoeing along to make sure I didn't slide, and they're just standing in a pond. I wouldn't dream of doing that or letting my son go to the edge of the pond, never mind in the middle of it. The council are out gritting paths and doing other things in this weather - people being on ponds shouldn't be even be on their minds never mind their first port of call."
She added: "There are so many places to go skating in Glasgow, so many ice rinks and Christmas events in the city. To behave like that on a pond is just disgusting."
A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said:“ We are very concerned about people going on to frozen water in parks across the city.
“No matter how solid ice might look, no-one can be sure of the stability of any ice and so it is impossible to guarantee that any ice can be used safely.
“As tempting as it might be to do otherwise, people should not skate, attempt to cross, walk or play on ponds, or any other frozen water.
“Even though very cold weather is forecast, people are urged to stay safe and stay off the ice.
“Signage warning people to keep off the ice has been put up in city parks and staff have also been breaking ice around ponds to make them as inaccessible as possible.”
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