A 16-year-old boy has drowned in a flooded quarry in Lancashire, as rescue services urged caution when swimming in open water during the heatwave.
The teenager, who has not yet been named, got into difficulty on Saturday night at Dawber Delph, Appley Bridge, Lancashire constabulary said.
Two other teenage boys have previously drowned at the same quarry.
Three fire engines, a boat and the drone team were deployed by Lancashire fire and rescue to find the boy, and his body was recovered from the water.
A Lancashire constabulary spokesperson said the boy’s next of kin had been informed, adding: “Our thoughts are with them at this time.”
In 2016, 14-year-old Miracle Godson, who could not swim, drowned at the same quarry. A boy also drowned there in 1999, the BBC reported.
Local residents have warned of the danger of the quarry for years and campaigned to restrict access.
The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) urged caution for anyone cooling off during this week’s hot weather.
Lee Heard, RLSS’s charity director, said: “We truly believe that if people are equipped with the right knowledge, we won’t need to see the fatalities we currently do from accidental drownings.
“If you or someone else finds themselves in difficulty in the water, it’s vital to remember the water safety code: whenever you are around water you should stop and think to assess your surroundings and look for any dangers; stay together when around water and always go with family and friends; in an emergency call 999 and ask for the fire and rescue service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast; and finally, float to live: if you fall in or become tired, stay calm, float on your back and call for help, or if you see someone in the water, throw something that floats to them and resist temptation to go in.”
On average 400 people drown in the UK each year and a further 200 people take their own lives in water, the National Water Safety forum has calculated.
Drowning in the UK accounts for more accidental fatalities annually than fire deaths in the home or cycling deaths on the road, according to the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy.
Almost two in every three fatalities happen at inland waters such as canals and rivers, lakes, quarries and reservoirs (62%). Coastal incidents account for the majority of those requiring a search and rescue response, but result in just over one in three (38%) of all fatal incidents.
