Liverpool City Council has slammed a large group of people who were spotted walking on a frozen lake in the city just days after four boys lost their lives from falling into freezing water.
Brothers Samuel Butler, six, and Finlay Butler, eight; their cousin Thomas Stewart, 11, and Jack Johnson, 10, were playing around Babbs Mill Lake in Solihull on Sunday (11 December) when they fell into the water.
See one group walking on another lake below:
Emergency service workers in Solihull had rushed to rescue the young boys, but all four were in cardiac arrest when they emerged from the water. Three of the boys died on the day of the incident, and Samuel died a few days later, on Wednesday.
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On the same day Samuel passed away, Nick Robinson, from Cressington, was meeting friends at The Boathouse Kiosk when he spotted approximately 10 people walking on the frozen lake in the middle of Sefton Park.
One of the men could be seen playing with a football, while two women were seen dancing over the water.
Robinson caught the scene on camera, explaining: "All I could think is there's no way these people have not seen the story about those little boys in Solihull and I was astounded. One woman went on the ice, and then like lemons, the rest of them followed until there were ten of them on the ice."
Robinson explained that another onlooker shouted at the group to get off the ice, but they 'didn't listen'.
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"They were on the ice for between 15 and 20 minutes and then two wardens came and shouted at them to get off the ice," he explained.
"They all started shouting abuse and one of the women, who was in her late 20s to early 30s screamed 'who do you think you're talking to, we're old enough to make our own decisions'. The wardens gave them a telling off and then they eventually came off the ice but the abuse continued.
"At one point they were getting really close to the darker section of the ice, where it's thinner... I don't think they understand it's not just their lives it would affect if anything happened, it would also be their families."
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Liverpool City Council criticised the group for putting their lives at risk, with a spokesperson candidly commenting: “The ice may look thick on this lake, but these adults are even thicker to think it's ok walk on it. Given what we all saw tragically unfold at Solihull at the weekend it’s with great sadness to see people put their lives at risk in this way.
"The fact they were asked to get off it and were dismissive and abusive makes the matter even worse. Signs have been erected warning of the dangers at all our parks and lakes and we would implore anyone not to go anywhere near an iced over body of water.
"Better to admire the beauty and wonder of these frosty landscapes, rather than be a victim of their deadly trap.”
The parents of the boys who died this week have said they are 'devastated' at the loss.
Topics: UK News
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Emily Brown