Witnesses describe pond rescue bid

Emergency services were called to a frozen pond in Red Lane, Streethouse, near Pontefract, on Saturday afternoon, to reports that two children had fallen into the water.

After he was pulled out by firefighters, the six-year-old was airlifted to Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 7pm.

It is thought that the boy and his 12-year-old brother, named locally as Ben and Dylan Newell, were playing on the frozen surface of the fishing pond when the accident occurred. Police said his brother was suffering the effects of exposure to the cold water but was otherwise well.

Kevin Smith was out walking with his 11-year-old son Daniel when they heard screams coming from the pond.

"There was this kid who was about 11 or 12 years old and he was through the ice with his neck and his hands on the side of the ice. He was shouting 'get me out'. We just started ripping branches off and trying to get the branches out to him, and Daniel went to knock on doors and alert people."

Mr Smith, from nearby Sharlston, continued: "Some people came then and we were taking coats off, using dog leads, anything to try and create a rope. At some point the boy said his brother was down below, underneath. Daniel had called the emergency services too, and police, ambulance people and firemen were arriving."

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue pulled the older boy from the water using throw lines, but were only able to reach his brother when six firefighters using specialist water rescue equipment waded into the water.

"One of the guys said, 'I can feel something, I think I've got him'. It was all systems go trying to pull him out. I just saw a little kid who'd been under the ice for half an hour with air bubbles coming out of his mouth," Mr Smith added.

His son, Daniel Hepworth, said: "I was scared and cold and didn't know what to do but luckily we saved one of them. I'm just sad that one of them died."