Dog walker who tried to save pet from frozen pool thanks rescuers after lifebuoy boxes found empty

The incident has sparked urgent calls for safety equipment near to the water at the site after it became clear the lifebuoy boxes were empty.

The father-of-two, who does not wish to be named, was walking his young dog at a safe distance from Island Pool when a bird flew past his dog's face.

The man shouted for the dog to come back before she slid and fell through the ice. He removed his jumper and began breaking the ice to reach her almost 50ft away before he began to lose consciousness.

Luckily, he was spotted by passing walkers who leapt into action using a boat and a plank of wood to reach the man while they waited for fire crews to arrive.

One of the men who saved him, Colin Guest, said he was walking with his wife when he spotted a man 50 ft out, and shouted at him to come back.

His calls were heard by Alex Anslow and his wife, who were also walking near Island Pool and rushed to help.

"He was swimming through the freezing water towards his dog, I shouted at him to come back or he'd kill himself," Colin said.

"My wife and I walk there every day, and I knew there was a fishing boat that was usually on the lake but it wasn't there."

The pair soon realised the lifebuoy boxes were empty and the gravity of the situation they were in.

A spokesperson from South Staffordshire Council said the lifebuoy boxes were empty due to regularly being removed by vandals.

Colin, 57, then spotted the boat behind some bushes, and he and Alex pulled it along the bank.

"The boat was not in a good condition but it would still float," Colin said.

Alex, who previously worked as a lifeguard for two years, used the boat and a plank of wood to paddle out to the man.

The 68-year-old said: "I broke through the ice to get to them, and the man told me to save his dog first. I managed to lift the dog into the boat, which was half full of water at that point.

"The man was losing consciousness. I managed to get his head and shoulders up, so his elbows were hooked over the side of the boat and I held him there."

Alex shouted for help, which is when Colin entered the frozen lake.

"Alex threw a rope out to me to pull them both back to shore, but then I realised that the rope I was using to tow the boat had become unattached from it," Colin said.

A fire crew then turned up and threw rope lines to reach the men and the dog in the water.

Within a few minutes, a second crew arrived and a firefighter was able to enter the water and save the men.

"They covered us with their coats and sat us in the engine, but they said the man was suffering with serious hypothermia," Colin said. "He was in there for 40 minutes."

His partner said their dog was well-trained and well-behaved, but would not have known the danger of going onto the ice.

"She was young and would not have known what the ice was. She would have thought it was just more ground," she explained. "The bird scared her and she just ran straight onto the ice, not knowing the risk."

Sadly, the dog died following the incident despite the best efforts of all those involved.

The man has since been discharged from hospital after suffering severe hypothermia, but is still required to attend multiple times a week for treatment.

He is also suffering with infections after ingesting the lake water, as well as nerve damage in one hand, and is badly cut and bruised from breaking through the frozen lake.

His partner said he is slowly healing, but has been left 'absolutely traumatised'.

"She was the reason he got up and was active," his partner said. "She was not just our dog, she was part of our family. He loved her so much. It is a tragic, tragic accident. He is in pain and just absolutely traumatised."

"Anyone who loved their pet would have done the same as he did," his partner said.

His partner thanked two people who rescued the father-of-two. "I am forever grateful to the people who came to his aid, I cannot thank them enough," she said. "They brought my partner home, and the children have their dad back."

Alex was also taken to hospital and treated for hypothermia.

"I am OK now, but I am quite traumatised by the situation," Alex said. "Mostly, I am angry that the lifebuoy boxes were empty. If there was one in there, I could have got him out of the lake in 10 minutes, as I am trained to do."

Colin added: "If that boat wasn't there, the man would've died. There were no lifebuoys, if there were we might have been able to save him quicker."

The man's partner also expressed the importance of having safety equipment accessible by the pool.

She said: "The worst thing is that the lifebuoy box was empty, there was no safety equipment. This has to change, because these accidents happen and can be fatal. Had the boat not been there for the people to save him, my partner would have died. There has to be more safety.

"I am just so thankful to those that saved him."

The spokesman for the council added: "As part of the park’s risk assessment, the lifebuoy rings are regularly checked by the ranger team.

"Sadly, on this occasion the lifebuoys had been targeted by vandals, who repeatedly think it is acceptable to remove these essential lifesaving aids and put lives at risk. Alternative options are being investigated to ensure that lifebuoys can only be accessed in the event of an emergency."

A Staffordshire Fire & Rescue spokesperson said: "A crew from Wombourne arrived at the scene first and immediately threw rope lines to reach the men and the dog in the water.

"Within a few minutes, a crew from West Midlands Fire Service arrived and rescued them from the water."

A spokesperson for West Midlands Fire Service shared advice on keeping dogs safe near lakes: "We cannot stress enough the dangers of winter ice.

"We understand that dog owners will want to do all they can to rescue their pet if it gets into difficulty. But please keep them on leads near frozen, open water - for their safety, for your own safety, and that of our firefighters."

They urge dog walkers to keep their dog on a lead near ice, not throw sticks or toys near a frozen lake, and to never go onto the ice themselves, or into icy water to rescue their dog, and instead call the RSPCA, 999, or 112. Owners are also advised to move somewhere where the dog can climb out, and call their pet towards them.