A young boy was pictured walking onto icy pool at beauty spot with members of the public seen shouting at him to ‘get off the ice’
The moment a young boy walked out onto the ice at Keeper’s Pool, one of Sutton Park’s seven pools, was captured on camera, with members of the public urging him to get off (Image: Kerry Holden)
A young boy risked his life by walking out on an ice-covered pool at one of Birmingham’s best-loved parks. A witness said the lad was lucky to escape unharmed.
It happened at Keeper’s Pool in Sutton Park in Sutton Coldfield yesterday, Sunday, January 12, and had chilling echoes of the tragedy which cost four boys their lives at Babbs Mill in Solihull in December 2022.
The boy, wearing a black puffer, grey trousers and shoes was spotted standing well out on the ice in one of Sutton Park’s seven pools at around 10.20am. He was on his own and was also seen ‘throwing ice boulders’, further risking breaking the ice.
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Dog walker, Kerry Holden, took a photo to pass on to Park Rangers. She witnessed the incident as ‘several people were shouting for him to come off the ice’.
She told BirminghamLive: “There were a lot of concerned people shouting for him to come off the ice. I initially took the photo so I could send it to park rangers, but luckily he came off the ice before I was able to.
“He ventured out further than where he was on the photo throwing boulders of ice. He is very lucky he didn’t crack the ice with the boulders.”
Kerry posted the photo online with the image shared hundreds of times. In her Facebook post she said: “Today at approximately 10.30am on 12th January, I witnessed a young boy that appeared to be on his own standing on the ice on keepers pool in Sutton Park. He was throwing ice boulders at the ice.
“Out of concern for his safety there were several people shouting at him to get off and telling him how dangerous it was. He was adamant that he was OK.
“Luckily after five minutes he got off the ice. Just wanted this to be a warning to young people using the park how incredibly dangerous it can be and for parents to make their children aware. I think we all remember the Babbs Mill Boys that lost their lives in the same way. Take care.”
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The post also received hundreds of comments from people raising their concerns, with the incident coming a little over two years since four young boys lost their lives at Babbs Mill Lake in Kingshurst, Soilhull in December 2022.
One said: “No lessons learnt then from those poor kids in Chelmsley Wood. Unbelievable.” Another said: “My heart is in my mouth just looking at him.” While a third said: “This is shocking to see after so many tragic incidents. A terrible and unnecessary risk to life waiting to happen. Thank goodness there were sensible, caring people around to warn him.”
Birmingham City Council ’s open water safety policy has a section on ice on open water. It states “When ice forms on lakes within busy public parks it is parks and nature conservation policy not to break ice as it forms.” It says all of city council parks with water should have ‘appropriate and adequate warning signs displayed at all access points and near to the water’s edge’.