Around 13,000 ice skaters needed hospital treatment in the two weeks of freezing temperatures at the end of 2008 and the beginning of this year, reports ANP news service.

Most of the skaters reporting to the first aid departments had broken wrists but one in ten suffered head injuries, according to the consumer safety foundation.
Over half of the injured were over the age of 40 and 10% were over 65.
The direct cost in terms of medical aid and time off work was €82m.
In milder winter periods without natural ice the average number of skating injuries is around 680.