A WOMAN put her life at risk after falling through ice trying to rescue her stricken dog from a frozen river.

The dramatic incident started when her labrador fell through the icy River Ribble at Brungerley Bridge, Clitheroe, according to a witness.

Her dog could not swim free and was becoming increasingly distressed when, against the advice of bystanders, the woman is said to have lain on her front and edged towards the dog.

However the witness said the ice gave way and she too ended up in the river.

The man she was with used the pet’s lead to drag her and the dog to safety, the witness said.

Firefighters had been called, but were stood down when she got out of the waters.

The incident echoes last month’s tragic events when 49-year-old father-of-two Philip Smith, from Lancaster, died after slipping into the icy River Lune at Halton trying to rescue his cocker spaniel Harry.

A spokeswoman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said the incident highlighted the dangers.

He said: “Our advice is to put a dog on a lead if it will be going near frozen water, and not to throw things like sticks or balls.

"If a dog ends up in the water, then however hard it may be, do not go onto the ice as you will be putting your life at risk as well as the dog.”

Simon Salem, director at British Waterways, urged people not to walk on frozen canals and rivers.

He said: “I would urge people to understand the dangers of falling through the ice into cold water, which are sudden asphyxia, hypothermia and even drowning. I cannot stress enough how dangerous freezing water is.”

Alice Woods, 25, from Clitheroe, was walking with a group of friends by the bank of the river when the dramatic events took place just before midday on Sunday.

They alerted firefighters, then Alice reached for her camera to record the incident.

The Preston City Council worker said: “I honestly thought I was watching someone going to die. It was a scene of panic.

“The dog fell in through a thin piece of ice and was really struggling and whimpering. It was quite horrible to see it like that.

“We were all shouting for her not to go after the dog, but she didn’t listen and lay on her front, edging her way closer to the dog.

“Then, as expected the ice gave way under her and she went straight under water.

“Straight away she stopped going after the dog and started to try to get herself out, but the ice kept breaking as she tried to pull herself out.

"Eventually the man she was with threw her the dog’s lead and pulled her out.

“This area of river always freezes over and I have seen many people walking on it.

"This could have been much, much worse. The woman could have died.”

A resident of nearby Brungerley Cottages, who asked not to be named, said: “I’ve seen people skating and sliding on the river when it’s frozen up in the past, but it’s not been like this for some time.

"It’s very dangerous, even if the ice is quite thick, because you never know how it will hold out.”

A regular riverside walker, from nearby Waddington said: “You’d have thought it was common sense not to walk out onto a frozen river.

"It’s ridiculously dangerous.”