iPhone gets frozen into the ice on new Willen On Ice winter rink in Milton Keynes

The worker was helping to build the temporary 800 sq m Willen On Ice rink, which will attract thousands of skaters over Christmas.

After building the rink’s metal base ready for 600,000 litres of water to be poured in and frozen, he left for home – completely forgetting he’d popped his phone down on the base while he was working.

Overnight the iPhone was submerged and frozen solid under two inches of ice.

Incredibly, workers were able to locate it through a Snapchat ‘ping’, giving a whole new meaning to the phrase cold calling. However, retrieving it was out of the question as chipping it out of the ice would ruin the smooth surface of the rink, which opens to the public this Thursday.

Now the workman, who is too embarrassed to be named, must wait until January 5 when the rink closes after the festive season. Meanwhile skaters will glide over the frozen phone in its bright pink spotted case.

To make matters worse, the phone belonged to the man’s daughter. He’d borrowed it to use at work because he’d lost his own phone only the previous day.

Rob Cook, director at owners Ice Leisure, said of the mishap: “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.

“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.”

The workman said: “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. I have promised that if the phone doesn’t work once it has thawed out, I will get her new one.”

Willen On Ice is now open until Sunday 5 January. It boasts thousands of twinkling lights, snow-covered spruces and the 800sqm real ice-skating rink – now with an added ‘spot the iPhone’ attracted.

Tickets for each 45-minute session are from £9.90 at off-peak times or £11.95 at peak times for under-16s, and £12.40 off-peak or £15.40 peak for adults. The prices included skate hire.

You can book your tickets online here. There is a fairground, traditional festive street foods to buy, and also an Après Ski Bar serving a selection of winter warmers to keep out the chill.