Warning over dangers of driving on frozen loughs

Lough Fea, pictured last year, is near Cookstown in County Tyrone

Northern Ireland Water has warned of the dangers of frozen reservoirs after people had been driving on a lough.

The severe weather conditions have led to Lough Fea in County Tyrone becoming frozen.

Maurice Wright from NI Water said that it was dangerous for people who had been venturing onto the ice.

"At one stage, we had cars and quads on the ice as well," he said. Mr Wright said the lough, which was open to the public, was about six metres deep.

He said water was still being extracted from the reservoir and that potentially this could lead to a gap between the layer of ice and the underlying water.

"This is why it is so dangerous for people to be venturing out when they really don't know what strength the ice has," he said.

Signs have been put up at Lough Fea highlighting the risks.

He said NI Water staff, together with the PSNI, had been at the lough advising people on the ice of the dangers.

Mr Wright said they were appealing to parents in the area to check that their children were not going out on the lough.

Rain, sleet and snow fell overnight on already-icy roads and pavements, and overnight temperatures plunged to -5 C in rural areas.

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