POLICE have urged people not to try walking on the frozen Oxford Canal by the Castle Quay Shopping Centre in Banbury.

Children have been seen up to 20 feet out into the middle of the canal, and officers have been called out several times over the past few days as people have attemped to walk on the frozen water.

PC Paul Froggatt said: “A couple of years ago somebody died after falling through ice, so I can’t emphasise enough how dangerous this sort of activity is.

"No matter how solid the ice might look, do not even take a chance, as there is no way of knowing how thick the ice is.”