Council warns public to stay off frozen water

The Highland Council is supporting national warnings from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, RNLI, ROSPA and Scottish Canals and extending these to communities across Highland to stay clear of frozen water.

This warning is issued as the local authority receives concerns from locals across the region about people walking or playing on frozen water.

The Council urges the public to be aware of the risks of going onto or allowing children and pets to go onto ice. 

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, more than 50 per cent of all drowning cases involving ice in the UK involved the attempted rescue of another person or a pet. 

The SFRS warns that while ice can look and feel solid, it can suddenly crack and cause a person to fall through and potentially become trapped under the ice. 

The Council is aware that concerns have been raised across the region of people walking on ice such as at Whin Park in Inverness and on Watten Loch in Caithness.

The message is simple: “Please stay off the ice” - but if you find yourself or someone else in trouble, dial 999 and ask for the fire service immediately. Do not attempt to rescue anyone yourself.

For more information on Cold Water Shock please visit the RNLI website at https://rnli.org/safety/know-the-risks/cold-water-shock.

For more information on how to stay safe around frozen water, visit https://www.rlss.org.uk/winter-water-safety or https://www.rospa.com/leisure-safety/water/advice/ice.aspx