Parents and dog owners are being warned about the dangers of frozen ponds and lakes after several incidents where people were seen walking on to ice.
Essex Police said dog owners had been seen walking into freezing waters to rescue their animals, which the force said put them at risk of hypothermia.
A police spokesman said children had also been seen playing on frozen ponds which he said was "unacceptable".
People were advised to keep children away from the ice and dogs on leads.
The spokesman said playing on the ice was "a novelty to some children and parents but it's just not worth the risk and subsequent heartache".
He said there had been a number of incidents where dogs had fallen through ice, leading to them being rescued by their owners.
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