11:50am Thursday 8th February 2007
By Telegraph newsdesk
A TEENAGER was treated for shock and hypothermia after jumping into the canal to try to rescue her dog.
The girl, believed to be 16 years old, leapt into water at Swinden Playing Fields, Cravendale Avenue, Nelson around 2pm yesterday.
Fire crews said she had gone in to try to rescue a dog which had run on to thin ice and fallen into the water.
They have now warned people never to walk on ice on frozen canals or ponds. Station manager Nick Clough said: "Because of the bitter cold the girl's body had started to go into shock.
We gave her oxygen and wrapped her with a foil blanket as she had also begun to show signs of hypothermia."
The girl was taken by ambulance to Burnley General Hospital for a check-up.
Two dogs which were in the water were also treated with blankets and taken to a vets where they were recovering.
Station manager Clough said: "The message needs to go out that under no circumstances should people be going onto frozen water.
"It is simply not think enough in this country to support people, or as in this case, animals, and if a pet does venture onto ice and falls in, the correct response is to dial 999.
"People may think they will be able to cope with the cold, but their bodies just go into shock and they can't move."
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.burnleycitizen.co.uk