YESTERDAY emergency services carried out a search of a frozen lake where footprints were spotted going towards a hole in the ice.

Six crew members from Severn Area Rescue Association Beachley lifeboat and search and rescue station, carried out a hazardous search of the frozen Parc Penallta Lake for a suspected missing person falling through the ice.

The incident started early yesterday afternoon Tuesday January 5, when a local person spotted what appeared to be footprints going towards a hole in the ice on Penallta Lake, located in Parc Penallta near Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, the lake is a man-made lake on the grounds of an old colliery.

The SARA team was alerted by Gwent police at 2pm yesterday afternoon to commence a search of the frozen lake and SARA deployed a swiftwater rescue team (SRT), a specialist team trained for this type of event.

Liaising with police officers from the local Nelson police station and park wardens the SARA station manager Mervyn Fleming directed a structured and controlled search using the SARA search team. During the search two of the SARA crew members had to venture out onto the creaking ice to look for evidence, inspect the ice hole and probe into the freezing murky waters of the lake.

Station manager Mervyn Fleming said: "This was the most hazardous part of the search going onto the creaking ice knowing someone may already have fallen through it. However as a trained unit our safety always comes first, and we were prepared, the team were suitably dressed with dry suits, life jackets, they were distributing their weight on a mud stretcher and at all times both crew members and the mud stretcher were attached by floating rope to land based crew"

As darkness fell, the SARA team withdrew off the frozen lake without locating anyone and the search was stood down by the police.

While frozen lakes might look tempting and fun to play on in winter they are very dangerous and do kill, SARA's advice to all members of the public is not to go on frozen lakes at all.

On Friday February 26, SARA will be taking part in the national "Go orange - for Independent lifeboats" day. This day is aimed at raising funds for the independent lifeboat stations but more importantly increasing the awareness of the hazards of inland and coastal waterways to schools, colleges, groups (scouts, guides etc), workplaces and members of the general public. SARA will be providing a hazards awareness information pack for "Go-Orange" participants.

Anyone wishing further information on how to take part in "Go-Orange" and by increasing your awareness and potentially save the life of one of your family, friends, work colleagues or classmates please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 07919 521286 SARA is the declared inshore lifeboat and mountain rescue organisation for the River Severn from Bristol upstream with four rescue stations at Beachley (Chepstow), Sharpness, Wyre Forest and Tewkesbury. SARA also covers the rivers Usk, Wye, Ebbw and Avon and the land surrounding the rivers, plus the Forest of Dean. In an emergency SARA can be called upon by the Coast Guard, Police, Fire & Rescue Service from ten counties, to provide specialist rescue skills.

For more information on SARA or if you would like to join or make a donation to SARA please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit http://www.sara-rescue.org.uk 

Source: campaignseries.co.uk

YESTERDAY emergency services carried out a search of a frozen lake where footprints were spotted going towards a hole in the ice.

Six crew members from Severn Area Rescue Association Beachley lifeboat and search and rescue station, carried out a hazardous search of the frozen Parc Penallta Lake for a suspected missing person falling through the ice.

The incident started early yesterday afternoon Tuesday January 5, when a local person spotted what appeared to be footprints going towards a hole in the ice on Penallta Lake, located in Parc Penallta near Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, the lake is a man-made lake on the grounds of an old colliery.

The SARA team was alerted by Gwent police at 2pm yesterday afternoon to commence a search of the frozen lake and SARA deployed a swiftwater rescue team (SRT), a specialist team trained for this type of event.

Liaising with police officers from the local Nelson police station and park wardens the SARA station manager Mervyn Fleming directed a structured and controlled search using the SARA search team. During the search two of the SARA crew members had to venture out onto the creaking ice to look for evidence, inspect the ice hole and probe into the freezing murky waters of the lake.

Station manager Mervyn Fleming said: "This was the most hazardous part of the search going onto the creaking ice knowing someone may already have fallen through it. However as a trained unit our safety always comes first, and we were prepared, the team were suitably dressed with dry suits, life jackets, they were distributing their weight on a mud stretcher and at all times both crew members and the mud stretcher were attached by floating rope to land based crew"

As darkness fell, the SARA team withdrew off the frozen lake without locating anyone and the search was stood down by the police.

While frozen lakes might look tempting and fun to play on in winter they are very dangerous and do kill, SARA's advice to all members of the public is not to go on frozen lakes at all.

On Friday February 26, SARA will be taking part in the national "Go orange - for Independent lifeboats" day. This day is aimed at raising funds for the independent lifeboat stations but more importantly increasing the awareness of the hazards of inland and coastal waterways to schools, colleges, groups (scouts, guides etc), workplaces and members of the general public. SARA will be providing a hazards awareness information pack for "Go-Orange" participants.

Anyone wishing further information on how to take part in "Go-Orange" and by increasing your awareness and potentially save the life of one of your family, friends, work colleagues or classmates please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 07919 521286 SARA is the declared inshore lifeboat and mountain rescue organisation for the River Severn from Bristol upstream with four rescue stations at Beachley (Chepstow), Sharpness, Wyre Forest and Tewkesbury. SARA also covers the rivers Usk, Wye, Ebbw and Avon and the land surrounding the rivers, plus the Forest of Dean. In an emergency SARA can be called upon by the Coast Guard, Police, Fire & Rescue Service from ten counties, to provide specialist rescue skills.

For more information on SARA or if you would like to join or make a donation to SARA please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit http://www.sara-rescue.org.uk 

Source: campaignseries.co.uk