Moment hero dives into frozen Essex lake to rescue dog walker who became stuck while trying to save pet
Authorities have warned against entering bodies of water during the winter
This is the heart-racing moment a heroic passerby dived into a frozen lake to save a man who had become stuck in the ice while trying to rescue a dog.
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The man had entered the icy-cold water in a desperate attempt to save a dog after it wandered into Connaught Water in Epping Forest, Essex on Sunday.
Britain has been gripped by freezing cold weather since the new year, with the mercury falling as low as -12C this week.
In dramatic footage shared online, the heroic passerby is seen edging across the ice to reach the man before falling into the water himself.
Read more: Schools closed and transport chaos as temperatures plunge to -12C - LIVE
Despite this, he continues towards the stricken man and pulls him towards safety.
The footage was captured by Chingford resident Ozgur Ontas - who said the pair of men were in the water for at least 10 minutes before getting out.
The men were treated by paramedics on the scene, with one being rushed to the nearby Whipps Cross Hospital for further assessment.
Thankfully, the dog was rescued safely and reunited with its owners.
“It's problematic for dog walkers - it wasn't just this man, other people's dogs also went into the lake and ran on the ice,” Mr Ontas said after sharing the video.
He warned: “This could happen again.”
Gary Dyer, watch manager at Essex Fire and Rescue, said: “We completely understand why people want to help in situations like this, but cold water can overwhelm the body very quickly.
“The safest thing to do is stay out of the water and call us - we have the training and equipment to respond safely.”
East London faced temperatures of around 3C on Sunday and temperatures have continued to fall since.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for snow for large parts of north-east and northern Scotland from 11am until 7pm on Tuesday, with forecasters warning of 5-10cm of snow widely, and up to 15cm in places.
A yellow warning of snow and ice is in place as far south as Perth until midnight on Tuesday, while another alert has also been issued from the central belt south down beyond the border, until 11am.