Milton Keynes Ice Rink's Unexpected Attraction: A Frozen iPhone

A seasonal ice rink in Milton Keynes has become a talking point, not for its festive cheer, but for an unusual sight: a bright pink iPhone encased in two inches of ice.

The "tourist attraction" at Willen on Ice has captured the attention of skaters and the media alike. The tale began with a workman who, during the rink's setup, misplaced his smartphone and borrowed his daughter's iPhone for a day. However, he left the phone on the ice rink just before it was flooded and frozen overnight.

The next morning, his colleagues discovered the phone, buried beneath the ice. They were unable to remove it without damaging the rink's delicate surface.

“It wasn’t until later the following day that one of the team spotted the object in the middle of the rink and, on closer inspection, we could see it was Steve’s daughter’s phone,” said Rob Cook, director of Ice Leisure, the company responsible for the rink's construction. "Unfortunately, there is no way we will be able to get the phone out of the ice now. If we were to dig it out, it would affect the structure of the ice so it’ll remain entombed for the next two months.”

Chipping the iPhone out of the ice would ruin the smooth skating surface, and re-freezing the entire rink would be an expensive and time-consuming undertaking. The forgetful workman, facing the predicament, had to explain the situation to his daughter and procure a temporary replacement.

"My daughter wasn’t happy at the start, especially as she has just bought the new phone case, but after a short time – and the promise of a temporary replacement phone – she cooled off,” the man said. "I have promised that if the phone doesn’t work once it has thawed out, I will get her a new one."

Although the precise iPhone model remains unknown, the presence of a triple camera system suggests a Pro model. The rink's staff must ensure no one attempts to retrieve the phone, as the water damage may have already rendered it unusable.

The incident highlights the remarkable resilience of iPhones. Recall the iPhone 11 retrieved from a lake a year after its owner dropped it. Despite the ordeal, it still functioned. While the frozen iPhone's fate remains uncertain, it serves as a reminder of both human error and the remarkable durability of technology. This unexpected spectacle is sure to provide entertainment and amusement to visitors at Willen on Ice throughout the winter.