PARENTS have been criticised for allowing their children to play on a frozen pond at Sandy Hill common over the weekend, prompting a warning about the dangers of walking on thin ice.

The scene so enraged one onlooker that they were moved to video the incident on their mobile phone, at around 4.30pm on Sunday, and share it on Facebook to alert others to the perils of frozen water.

The onlooker, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Herald: “I can’t believe children so young were walking on it and their parents were just standing there allowing it.

“People should be aware it’s dangerous and you’re putting yourself and your children at risk - not to mention that it’s a waste of emergency man power should you fall in.”

According to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, in the last 10 years more than 20 people have drowned after falling through ice into water, while many others have had to be rescued and revived.