Man and dog rescued from freezing lake (From Haringey Independent)

Man and dog rescued from freezing boating lake in Alexandra Palace

9:21am Monday 21st January 2013 in News By Hermione Wright

A man who risked his life to save his dog was rescued last night after he fell into a freezing lake.

He followed his pet after it fell through the fragile ice covering the boating lake in Alexandra Palace at 8.30pm.

But the ice gave way under his feet and he found himself engulfed in the treacherous waters in sub-zero temperatures.

Horrified onlookers called the fire brigade, with more than 25 firefighters from Edmonton, Euston and Hornsey fire stations arriving to save the troubled pair.

They jumped into dinghys and pulled the man from the icy depths before bringing him to safety by the lakeside, and covering him in sheets to warm his soaking body.

Even after he was safe, the man refused to leave his dog until it too was rescued by the firefighters.

The treasured dog, believed to be a Bordeaux mastiff, had made its way out of the ice onto the island in the centre of the lake.

Firefighters spent an hour searching the island until they found the dog, which was then reunited with its owner.