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Children find dead deer entombed in icy lake on 'magical' trip to see Father Christmas at country park | Mail Online
Children find dead deer entombed in icy lake on 'magical' trip to see Father Christmas at country park | Mail Online
Distraught children find dead deer entombed in icy lake on 'magical' trip to see Father Christmas at country park
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:47 PM on 20th December 2010
Children who visited a country park in the hope of seeing Father Christmas' reindeer were left horrified when they saw several animals that had fallen through thin ice and drowned.
Visitors to Whitworth Hall Country Park, in County Durham, were greeted by the gruesome sight after at least eight deer and stags died during the big freeze.
Hoof marks could still be seen on the ice leading to where the deer broke through into the freezing lake.
Sad sight: A stag's body could be seen by visitors at Whitworth Hall Country Park in County Durham after it fell through ice
Risky business: A stag and a doe appear oblivious to the bodies of others stuck in the ice
One woman, who asked not to be named, was visiting Santa's grotto with her eight-year-old son in the grounds of a hotel in the park.
She said: 'My son was distressed and we did not feel comfortable. It was an awful sight and nothing seemed to have been done about it.
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'I don't think they should have let the children continue to feed the deer at the Santa Claus event when you could see the dead ones frozen in the lake.'
John Thomas, from Bishop Auckland, visited the 73-acre deer park with his wife, Sophie, and children Jack, six, and Kaitlyn, four.
Bad i-deer: The deer are a popular attraction at the country park but have fallen victim to the cold weather
John said: 'We came especially to see the deer because the kids think this is where Santa's reindeer live during the year before he comes to collect them for Christmas Eve.
'It was a bit of a shock to arrive and see so many of them trapped in the lake.
'Fortunately, my kids didn't notice because the bodies are quite far out and there are plenty that are still alive that they can look at.'
Louise Philips, from Spennymoor, was attending a family lunch that included children Amy, seven, Thomas, five, and Maisie, two.
Frozen: The animals died after mistaking the frozen lake for snow-covered land, to the horror of visitors
She said: 'It is sad but I don't suppose they could stop them going out on the lake. 'It wouldn't be right to put people's lives at risk to go and rescue them.
'We haven't told the kids - it would upset them, but they've been distracted by the ones that are still here.'
Park staff were unavailable for comment, but earlier this month manager Alan Lax described how the snow and freezing conditions had turned the lake into a death trap for the deer.
'We have put hay bales and food down to pull them away from the lake, but because the park is white and the lake it white they don't see the difference and walk across.'
He said it would be impossible to fence off the lake and attempts to break up the ice were futile as the lake quickly re-froze.
A spokesman for the RSPCA said it had taken several calls from concerned members of the public and an inspector was examining the situation.
Danger: The animals cannot be kept from the ice
She said: 'I believe contact has been made with the owners of the park. The charity has to prioritise living animals which are in dire straits over animals which have already perished.'
Animal expert Phil Gates said: 'This kind of tragedy does happen with wild animals.
'Sometimes, when lakes freeze, the water level beneath the ice drops down, making the ice on top even more fragile.
'Lighter animals such as rabbits and foxes can get across, but anything as heavy as a deer will go through.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz18fBZyvh4
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:47 PM on 20th December 2010
Children who visited a country park in the hope of seeing Father Christmas' reindeer were left horrified when they saw several animals that had fallen through thin ice and drowned.
Visitors to Whitworth Hall Country Park, in County Durham, were greeted by the gruesome sight after at least eight deer and stags died during the big freeze.
Hoof marks could still be seen on the ice leading to where the deer broke through into the freezing lake.
Sad sight: A stag's body could be seen by visitors at Whitworth Hall Country Park in County Durham after it fell through ice Risky business: A stag and a doe appear oblivious to the bodies of others stuck in the iceOne woman, who asked not to be named, was visiting Santa's grotto with her eight-year-old son in the grounds of a hotel in the park.
She said: 'My son was distressed and we did not feel comfortable. It was an awful sight and nothing seemed to have been done about it.
More...
'I don't think they should have let the children continue to feed the deer at the Santa Claus event when you could see the dead ones frozen in the lake.'
John Thomas, from Bishop Auckland, visited the 73-acre deer park with his wife, Sophie, and children Jack, six, and Kaitlyn, four.
Bad i-deer: The deer are a popular attraction at the country park but have fallen victim to the cold weatherJohn said: 'We came especially to see the deer because the kids think this is where Santa's reindeer live during the year before he comes to collect them for Christmas Eve.
'It was a bit of a shock to arrive and see so many of them trapped in the lake.
'Fortunately, my kids didn't notice because the bodies are quite far out and there are plenty that are still alive that they can look at.'
Louise Philips, from Spennymoor, was attending a family lunch that included children Amy, seven, Thomas, five, and Maisie, two.
Frozen: The animals died after mistaking the frozen lake for snow-covered land, to the horror of visitors She said: 'It is sad but I don't suppose they could stop them going out on the lake. 'It wouldn't be right to put people's lives at risk to go and rescue them.
'We haven't told the kids - it would upset them, but they've been distracted by the ones that are still here.'
Park staff were unavailable for comment, but earlier this month manager Alan Lax described how the snow and freezing conditions had turned the lake into a death trap for the deer.
'We have put hay bales and food down to pull them away from the lake, but because the park is white and the lake it white they don't see the difference and walk across.'
He said it would be impossible to fence off the lake and attempts to break up the ice were futile as the lake quickly re-froze.
A spokesman for the RSPCA said it had taken several calls from concerned members of the public and an inspector was examining the situation.
Danger: The animals cannot be kept from the iceShe said: 'I believe contact has been made with the owners of the park. The charity has to prioritise living animals which are in dire straits over animals which have already perished.'
Animal expert Phil Gates said: 'This kind of tragedy does happen with wild animals.
'Sometimes, when lakes freeze, the water level beneath the ice drops down, making the ice on top even more fragile.
'Lighter animals such as rabbits and foxes can get across, but anything as heavy as a deer will go through.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz18fBZyvh4
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