Liverpool: People slide over icy Sefton Park lake

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A group of ten people were caught gliding over the frozen lake in the middle of Sefton Park, leaving onlookers dismayed following the tragic deaths four young boys who died after falling into an icy lake in Solihull, Birmingham. Footage captured in Liverpool shows unidentified people sliding over the ice, some apparently dancing while another one plays football. The entirety of the lake appeared frozen as temperatures dropped as low as -7C on Thursday morning, according to the Met Office.

Nick Robinson, 49, reportedly captured the footage while meeting with a group of friends at The Boathouse Kiosk for a drink on Wednesday at around 4pm.

From the shores of the lake, he spotted around a dozen people walking on the ice, which left him “astounded” that adults could “risk their lives” after the Solihull story.

He told Liverpool Echo: “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.

“A woman who was jogging past shouted at them to get off the ice, but they didn’t listen. 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.”

Nick continued: “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.”

The footage was shared only four days after four boys died after falling into a frozen lake at Babbs Mill nature reserve. Finlay Butler, eight, his brother Sam Butler, six, and their cousin Thomas Stewart, 11 all died in the tragic accident as well as ten-year-old Jack Johnson. Six-year-old Sam became the fourth boy to die after being taken to hospital in critical condition but “lost his fight for life” on Wednesday.

Nick said: “When I saw the reporter break down on the TV, that was such a hard-hitting moment. Those little boys have presents under the tree that will never be opened now.

“I don’t think they [the people on the ice] understand it’s not just their lives it would affect if anything happened, it would also be their families.”

Earlier in the day, another man was photographed walking over the middle lake in Sefton Park on his own. Liverpool City Council have criticised the group on the lake, calling them “thick” for “putting their lives at risk”.

A spokesperson told Liverpool Echo: “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.”

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The death of four boys in Kingshurst had the whole nation grieving, as West Midlands Fire Service and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak paid their deepest sympathies with the families and children of the children. 

“We cannot comprehend the enormity of the pain they must feel and our hearts go out to them,” a police statement said.

Speaking at Wednesday’s Prime Ministers’ Questions, Saqib Bhatti, Conservative MP for Meriden, told the Commons the people who he represents had suffered “an unimaginable tragedy” and the families were in his thoughts and prayers.

Rishi Sunak joined him in sending his condolences to the families and friends of the boys and paying tribute to the emergency services for “their incredibly selfless actions”.

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