Dogs fall through ice and drown at Dorney Lake
Two dog owners whose pets drowned after they had fallen through ice have been praised by firefighters for not risking their own lives too.
The pets were on Dorney Lake in Buckinghamshire when the separate incidents on Saturday took place.
Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was grateful the owners had heeded warnings not to go on to the ice themselves and had called for help.
A spokesman said the owners had had to suppress their "natural instincts".
"It is desperately sad that both incidents ended in tragedy. We appreciate that a pet is part of the family and that the natural instinct is to try to do something immediately.
"It is a difficult enough job for firefighters and can end in human tragedy if owners go on to the ice themselves," said Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Fraser Pearson.
"We are grateful the owners had the presence of mind to stay on the bank and call for help."
Firefighters retrieved the body of one of the dogs but were unable to find the other.
In another incident, the fire service successfully rescued a horse which had become stuck in a frozen lake at Fulmer, in Buckinghamshire.
Emergency services have warned drivers to be careful after reports of black ice on many minor routes.
Thames Valley Police said there had been several crashes in Buckinghamshire overnight.
Two men were injured in separate crashes on the A40 in Denham and a man and a woman were released from their vehicle by the fire service after an incident in Saunderton.