A brave passerby plunged into a frozen lake in Epping Forest on Sunday after attempting to rescue a man who had fallen through the ice while trying to save a dog.
The dramatic incident unfolded at Connaught Water when a dog wandered onto the frozen surface, prompting its owner to venture out onto the ice to retrieve the canine.
When that man broke through into the freezing water below, a heroic bystander saw the incident unfold and edged across the ice to help him – only to fall in himself.
Despite ending up in the frozen lake, the passerby pressed on and managed to drag the man towards safety.
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Video footage of the heart-stopping rescue was captured by Chingford resident Ozgur Ontas, who was visiting the lake with his wife and daughter.
According to Mr Ontas, both men remained in the freezing water for between 10 and 15 minutes before finally managing to climb out.
Emergency crews arrived at the scene shortly after, around 2.20pm on Sunday.
Paramedics treated both men at the lakeside, with the East of England Ambulance Service confirming that one of them was rushed to Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone for further assessment and care.
A brave passerby plunged into a frozen lake in Epping Forest on Sunday after attempting to rescue a man who had fallen through the ice while trying to save a dog
|FACEBOOK/OZGUR ONTAS
The pair were dragged under water as the passer-by helped the person in distress
|FACEBOOK/OZGUR ONTAS
Thankfully, the dog at the centre of Sunday's drama was rescued safely and reunited with its grateful owners.
Mr Ontas expressed concern that similar incidents could easily happen again, noting that multiple dogs had ventured onto the ice that day.
"It's problematic for dog walkers," he warned. "This could happen again."
Met Office data showed temperatures in the Epping Forest area hovered around 3C on Sunday afternoon, with wind gusts reaching 16mph at the time of the incident.
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Both men were in the water for between '10 and 15 minutes' according to Ozgur Ontas, who witnessed the scare
|FACEBOOK/OZGUR ONTAS
Ambulance services arrived promptly, with one of the men being taken to hospital for further checks
|FACEBOOK/OZGUR ONTAS
Britain has been in the grip of bitter cold since the new year began, with temperatures plummeting to as low as -12C in parts of the country this week.
The coldest night of winter so far saw overnight lows of -12.5C recorded at Marham in Norfolk, while London dropped to -8C.
Essex Fire and Rescue Service has urged people not to enter frozen water themselves if they spot someone in trouble.
The UK has been battered by snow and wind this week, with Storm Goretti set to continue that towards the weekend
|PA
They have also warned that Storm Goretti will bring widespread snow, heavy rain and severe gales to England and Wales on Thursday and Friday.
Watch manager Gary Dyer said: "We completely understand why people want to help in situations like this, but cold water can overwhelm the body very quickly.
"The safest thing to do is stay out of the water and call us – we have the training and equipment to respond safely."
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