Cardiff city council issued a warning to members of the public when the icebreakers were dispatched to the popular park. Council workers were recently seen breaking ice on Roath Park lake with sticks and shovels.

Since then, the council has taken to social media to warn people about the dangers of ice and frozen water. One social media post read: “Our teams are breaking the ice at Roath Park Lake.

“Ice and frozen water can be extremely dangerous – children and pets are at particular risk. Inform children of the dangers and keep pets on a leash at all times when they are near frozen water. If you see people or animals at risk, call 999 and ask for emergency services.”

🇧🇷New snow and ice warnings for the whole of Wales issued by the Met Office as temperatures drop to -13°C

This comes after four children died after falling into a lake at Babbs Mill, near Solihull, on Sunday. Brothers Finlay and Samuel Butler and their cousin Thomas Stewart were pulled out of the icy water and rushed to hospital, where eight-year-old Finlay and 11-year-old Thomas died a short time later. Ten-year-old Jack Johnson also tragically died on Sunday. Sadly, on Wednesday, six-year-old Samuel lost the fight for his life.

Temperatures in Cardiff continue to drop, causing several lakes and rivers to freeze over. As temperatures hit minus 12°C in Wales over the week, the River Ely near Cardiff Quay also froze over. Emergency services and other agencies are emphasizing the importance of being cautious during freezing water.

Cardiff Council said the ice-breaking operation formed part of its open water risk assessment. The spokesperson added: “We patrol all of our inland waters under our jurisdiction.” For more information on winter water safety, visit the Royal Like Saving Society (RLSS) website here.

Source: Wales Online