Family who skated on Hatchet Pond ice hit out at 'hysteria'

A LOCAL farmer whose family went ice skating on Hatchet Pond has spoken out about the "hysteria" surrounding their actions.

As reported by the A&T, George Heathcote and his family were confronted by Sherri Cowen who said she was "shocked" by their activity, coming so soon after the deaths of three children in an ice incident near Solihull.

She posted a photo on social media which prompted a debate about the safety of the act.

Forestry England has also warned residents to stay off the pond, having erected signs to that effect.

However, George said his group were all "totally safe" on the ice, which he measured as two inches thick.

He has skated "all his life" on Hatchet Pond, he said, and others around the New Forest when the conditions allow.

"We only go onto the ice when it's safe and we know the parameters within which it is safe," he said.

"There's a perspective, there's a hysteria about it that is not very healthy. It stops any debate or any education explaining that there is a bit of science behind it.

"We measure the thickness of the ice, and it also depends how much silt particles there are – that makes it weaker – and if there's any organic matter like weed – that makes it weaker as well.

"Two inches is plenty for a person, and even in two inches you can stand in a group."

He added: "You hear the flexes, a low 'boom' is still fine, it's when it becomes a tinkle, that's when you know you're going to go through

"As long as the water's not flowing underneath you, that gets a lot more dangerous. Then it just comes down to depth. Obviously if you're getting out of your depth you need some sort of flotation and a pick, so if you fall in you can dig into the ice behind you and pull yourself out easily, but we're not going out of our depth."

On whether their decision to use the ice could influence others to do the same, George said: "How far do you take that argument?"

"There was a car crash yesterday, does that mean everyone stops driving cars?

"People go swimming in the sea and drown all the time, yet it's a very good thing to do. It's very healthy, it's fun, we all want to do it on our holidays

"When I was growing up, the whole village was on Pilley pond every time it froze.

"It's totally safe, fun for lots of people if it's done the right way, but if there's hysteria around it, it's really unhealthy."