A group of teenagers were spotted playing on ice at a frozen Darlington pond just days after the tragic deaths of three children in the Midlands.
An image, submitted to TeessideLive by an individual who wished to remain anonymous, showed several children playing on the frozen Brinkburn Pond Nature Reserve on Monday afternoon. The post accompanying the image on Facebook read: "Just keep your kids safe."
The picture was taken just a day after four children fell into an icy lake in Solihull near Birmingham. Three of the children died and a fourth remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Read more: North East to freeze as Met Office predicts up to 20cm of snow with weather warning extended
Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service reminded people of the dangers of going on frozen lakes earlier following the incident. Northumberland Chief Fire Officer Paul Hedley said: "This is an absolute tragedy and our thoughts go out to the family and friends of those boys, as well as all the services which have been involved with this very difficult rescue effort.
"While frozen water can look attractive, as events have shown, it can be an extremely dangerous environment and lead to tragic consequences."
Temperatures have plummeted across the North East in the last week, with a yellow weather warning for snow and ice covering much of the region extended to 12pm on Friday December 15. The Met Office predicts that the region could be hit by up to 20cm of snow, and have warned that disruption on roads and railways could occur.
County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, who cover the area where the image was taken, added: "With temperatures set to remain very cold, many ponds and other stretches of water are at risk of freezing. Whilst they may look solid, they can be extremely dangerous and very unlikely to hold your weight.
"We are urging parents to please speak to your children about the potential consequences if someone goes through into the frozen water. We would also like to urge people to keep their pets on leads near water."
The Royal Life Saving Society has information on what to do if you fall through ice or see someone else fall on their website. The Fire Services also says if you see someone in the water or fall through ice, call 999 immediately.
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