A young girl tragically died while trying to save a friend who got into trouble in water, an inquest has heard. Lucy Smith died on August 15 last year after coming into difficulty in water in what was described as a 'tragic accident'.
An inquest at Stockport Coroners' Court heard that Copley Academy student Lucy and a group of friends went to Carrbrook Angling ponds off Crowswood Drive in her home town of Stalybridge where they started playing in the water. However, it "very suddenly go wrong".
Lucy's mum, Stacy Wild, tearfully told the inquest that the 14-year-old was 'extremely popular' and a 'well liked person at school'.
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Detective Inspector Steven Horton from Greater Manchester Police gave details of the events which led to the 'tragic accident' of Lucy drowning in the pond. "They were in the area and met up and made a group decision to go to the water. It was a particularly hot day," DI Horton said.
"They were playing and dancing in the water and everyone was in good spirits. Phone footage taken at the time all supports that they were in the water having a good time."
He added that the tone of the footage quickly changes and is turned off when it becomes apparent that someone is in difficulty in the water.
"They were all playing in the water when one of her friends got into difficulty and Lucy had gone to try and assist her. As she was trying to help she got into trouble and her friends tried to help her but she had gone under the water and didn't surface," DI Horton said.
DI Horton added that friends told him that Lucy was not a particularly good swimmer with the coroner, Christopher Morris, concluding that things "very suddenly went wrong", to which DI Horton agreed. "It was completely accidental," the police concluded from their investigations, DI Horton said, "a tragic accident".
It was around 6.30pm when Lucy got into difficulty and despite hours of desperate searching, her body was pulled from the water later that evening.
Paul Turner, a health and safety advisor for the landowners, PKC Developments and Co., told the hearing that the ponds are run by Carrbrook Angling Club and that while the area around the ponds are often busy with walkers and cyclists - due to it being part of the Tame Valley Loop - the ponds themselves are private land. He said there are signs around to tell people it is private land and one of the two ponds is completely fenced off.
Mr Turner said that prior to this incident they had "no knowledge" of people swimming in the pond. He added that there had been a review since this tragic incident with additional signs, including some specifically warning of deep water and the dangers of swimming in the pond, have been placed in the area.
"It has since become known to us that the pond had been used before for swimming but there have been no further incidents since," Mr Turner added.
Mr Morris gave a conclusion of Lucy's death being a "tragic accident" accepting the findings of the pathologist, Neil Papworth, that she died due to drowning. "There is little as tragic as this case before the court of a young person with their whole life ahead of them," Mr Morris said.
"On August 15 Lucy was playing with friends and there is clear evidence from the detective inspector through their investigation that there was no animosity between the individuals. They were visibly playing around in the water on a happy day in the way teens often do. Matters quickly became tragic when she got into difficulty."
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