Moment hero passer-by rescues canine proprietor who fell by frozen lake whereas attempting to save lots of pet

This is the moment a hero passer-by pulled a man out of a frozen lake when he fell through the ice while trying to save a dog.

The man was attempting to rescue the animal after it walked onto the ice on Sunday afternoon at Connaught Water in Epping Forest, Essex.

But he fell in, and the passer-by then entered the water to help – before video footage captured by a member of the public showed both men managing to get out.

The pair were treated by paramedics and the dog was safely reunited with its owners, but firefighters urged others not to go into frozen water and instead call for help.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service watch manager Gary Dyer said: ‘We completely understand why people want to help in situations like this.

The man is rescued by a passer-by at Connaught Water in Epping Forest, Essex, on Sunday

The hero passer-by got the man out of the water during the rescue mission in Essex on Sunday 

But cold water can overwhelm the body very quickly. The safest thing to do is stay out of the water and call us – we have the training and equipment to respond safely.’

Firefighters said that if someone or an animal gets into difficulty in cold water, people should not enter the water but instead call 999 and ask for the fire service.

They should also maintain visual contact and reassure the person or animal from a place of safety.

The fire service also asked people to ‘take extra care around frozen lakes and waterways and avoid walking on ice, which can look solid but is often thin and unstable’.