An elderly man faced death after falling through the middle of a frozen lake, sparking an incredible rescue.

The dramatic footage captures the efforts of rescue workers who had to slide across the icy waters in a desperate attempt to reach the trapped man.
Heavy breathing can be heard as they struggle to reach the man in need of help.

The video, shared by the Estonian Rescue Board, shows the whole rescue process last Friday.

When they eventually reach him, the elderly man can be seen with an ice-pick in his hand, which reports presume he was using to try and save himself.

One of the helpers reaches out to him and pulls him on top of a board, brushing the ice off his wet trousers.

The workers in orange uniforms then drag him back to safety.