Sisters dive into icy Blaenavon pond in bid to save dogs

A woman has described how she and her sister dived into an icy pond to try to rescue their two dogs which "skidded into the water".

One, French bulldog Hugo, is missing after Katie and Danielle Campbell walked their pets at Keeper's Pond in Blaenavon, Torfaen, last weekend.

Both sisters were taken to hospital for treatment.

It comes as the Royal Life Saving Society repeated warnings of the dangers of frozen water.

Earlier this week, four children died in Solihull, Birmingham, and there have since been reports of young people spotted playing on icy ponds in south Wales.

Overnight temperatures dropped to -10C (14F) in parts of Wales.

Katie, 21, said she and Danielle had been taking Hugo and her own dog, Azailya, on their usual walk around the pond when she noticed their pets had made their way onto the ice.

"We turned away for five seconds," she said.

"They ran over the ice into the middle of the pond and as they've tried to stop they skidded into the water.

"We started pulling all of our immediate clothing off and my sister, Danielle, jumped in.

"She was breaking through the ice with her elbow because it was completely frozen until halfway in.

"My sister started struggling then to catch her breath because it was so cold."

After entering the water herself, Katie was able to reach Azailya, but by that time Hugo was gone.

"My sister was in absolute hysterics calling for Hugo," she said. "She wouldn't come out of the water so I just had to grab her."

Both Katie and Danielle were taken to hospital, where Katie was told she had developed frostnip, an early symptom of frostbite.

"Initially getting into the water my body couldn't process how cold it was," she said.

"When we came out we couldn't walk, we had to be carried out. I literally can't feel anything at all in my fingertips. They said it could take a couple of weeks or it could never come back."

Hugo's other owner, Jordan Pegler, 27, described Hugo as the "sweetest, softest dog ever" and said losing him was devastating.

"He just likes to sleep and cwtch and play with balls. He's such a softie," she said. "It's just really hard to comprehend."

After going back to the pond the following day to continue searching for Hugo, the group say they saw other people out walking and playing on the lake's surface.

"There were two boys who had gone up there literally just to film themselves stood on the ice," said Jordan. "They just don't seem to comprehend how dangerous it really is."

Katie said that after their experience, she would never take her own dogs near frozen water again. "It's just scary," she said. "Stay as far away from the ice as possible."

Matt Croxall of the Royal Life Saving Society told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast that people should "never" go on ice.

"It's simply not safe," he said.

"It might appear so on the edges of banks of ponds and rivers and canals, but the further you get out into the centre, the thinner the ice is likely to become, and that's where people can unfortunately get themselves into danger."

People are also urged not to try to rescue anyone who has fallen through ice. Instead, they are urged to throw something that floats, like a long branch or pole, and call the emergency services as soon as possible.

Gwent Police said officers received reports of young people playing on the frozen Beaufort Pond in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent.

Idris Davies School in Abertysswg, near Rhymney, also sent an urgent message to parents which said: "We have just received a message from a member of the public regarding young children walking on ice across a pond in Abertysswg.

"Can you please check where your children are and remind them of the dangers on walking on frozen ponds."

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service urged people not to walk on icy water, adding: "If you see someone fall through the ice, shout for help and call 999 immediately."

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for ice and snow that covers much of Wales from 21:00 GMT Friday until 10:00 on Saturday.