On Sunday 18th January local man Jamie Wallace saved the life of a golden retriever, which had got into difficulty in the Penicuik Estate’s Low Pond.  

While walking his own dog, Molly, on the estate surrounding Penicuik House, Mr Wallace noticed a large dog floundering in a small pool of water about 20 feet from the edge of a frozen pond. Its owner was nowhere to be seen.

The retriever was in obvious distress, having wandered on to the lake and fallen through ice into the freezing water below.

Noticing the dog in difficulty, Jamie Wallace vaulted the barbed wire fence and sprinted round the lake. As is the case with anyone who falls into feeling water, time was of the essence to make sure hypothermia did not set in, which would lead to the dog eventually drowning.

The, now frantic, dog had a grabbed hold of a large slab of ice in its mouth, as if it had been desperately trying to save itself by biting at the ice around itself.

Mr Wallace used his legs and feet to smash the ice in the hope of creating a channel for the dog to swim through. It was showing signs of drowning, so with little choice, Jamie plunged into the waist deep freezing water. He broke through the ice with his body and managed to grab the dog by it’s collar.

Jamie pulled it out of the lake to safety and reunited it with its grateful owner.  

The dog was lucky to have the help of a brave local but experts are warning of the dangers of frozen lakes. Should you find yourself immersed in a freezing body of water, you should try not to breathe in the water. You have between two and five minutes to pull yourself to safety. To do this, orientate yourself to the thickest side of the ice (this will likely be the spot where the ice broke under you). Grab hold of the ice and pull yourself horizontally onto the surface, whilst kicking your legs for added propulsion. Roll away from the hole and follow your footsteps. Warm yourself immediately and seek medical attention.