Ice skaters saved from Amsterdam's frozen canals

A group of unfortunate ice skaters needed a helping hand after being plunged into the icy waters of Amsterdam's canals on Sunday.

Onlookers used hockey sticks and ropes to help pull a number of people out of the freezing canal after the sheet of ice they had been skating on cracked and broke.

Sub-zero temperatures have provided perfect conditions for skating in the Netherlands, which has a long tradition of the sport.

People have been flocking to canals in Amsterdam and all over the Netherlands to enjoy the wintry conditions.