Diggers break up ice on frozen Rouken Glen pond over safety fears

A frozen pond in an East Renfrewshire park has been smashed up by the local council to prevent people putting themselves in danger over the weekend.

The well-known boating pond in Rouken Glen Park in Giffnock has been frozen for a number of days due to sub-zero temperatures.

East Renfrewshire Council sent in diggers on Thursday to break the ice.

It comes a week after crowds flocked to nearby Queen's Park to play on a frozen pond.

Footballer Nicola Docherty tweeted a video of a young skater performing spins on the frozen pond and within a day crowds were gathering to see and play on the expanse of ice.

Dozens of people then headed to the location in the south of Glasgow.

Police were called to the scene following "concerns" from local residents on Saturday and groups were dispersed.

Then on Tuesday, a boy fell through the ice.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman told the BBC: "Officers in Glasgow were made aware of a 12-year-old boy who had fallen into water at Queen's Park pond on Tuesday, 5 January. He did not require medical treatment. Members of the public were asked to come off the pond as a result.

"Officers have had a visible presence in the park today to remind the public of the dangers that can be posed by walking on ice and frozen ponds."

The same day, leading surgeon Prof Michael Griffin warned that a surge in Scotland's hospital admissions due to falls could put more people at risk of catching Covid.

Prof Griffin, president of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, said more people were being injured while out in the recent cold snap.

Earlier this winter, police issued a warning about the dangers of waterways.

Ch Supt David Duncan said: "Winter brings increased demands on all the emergency services, and the partner organisations which work alongside the blue-light services.

"With the current restrictions on travel and socialising as a result of Covid-19, more people may be out walking in their local areas than might usually be, as well as exploring new locations.

"The best advice is to avoid open water, be it frozen or not, and don't put yourself, your children or your pets at risk. It's impossible to tell how thick ice is at a glance, and water temperatures beneath broken ice can quickly make someone hypothermic. Please, stay safe near water this winter."

A spokeswoman for East Renfrewshire Council said: "Despite warning visitors to the park not to stand on the frozen pond, we continued to receive reports of people walking onto the ice.

"To prevent this and the risk of accidents, staff have broken up ice on the pond."

Glasgow City Council added to the warnings, saying it had warning signs at frozen ponds in parks across the city and had broken up ice at Queen's Park

A spokesman said: "We are very concerned about people going on to frozen ponds across the city. Every time someone goes on to the ice they are putting themselves and others at risk.

"With temperatures rising above zero on a regular basis there is no way to be certain about the strength of the ice. A full thaw is expected by the weekend and in these circumstances we urge everyone to stay off the ice for their own safety."