Anger is mounting in a local community after a third young person died in a flooded quarry - and it has still not been drained or filled.
The body of a 16-year-old boy was tragically pulled from the water-filled quarry at Dawber Delph in Appley Bridge, near Wigan, on Saturday night (July 9). Emergency services including police, paramedics and fire crews were scrambled to the scene after he 'got into difficulty' in the water.
His death is not being treated as suspicious, officers added. This latest tragedy brings the death toll at the quarry to three, with previous deaths tragically occurring in 1999 and 2015, LancsLive reports.
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In 2015, 13-year-old Miracle Godson, who was a promising young rugby player, died after getting into difficulties in the quarry’s deep waters. In 1999, Craig Croston, 17, drowned at the quarry.
Local residents in the devastated community are now calling for the quarry to be either filled or drained. Appleby Bridge resident Sarah Stephenson, 49, said: "As soon as I heard the helicopter, I knew and I cried; five police cars had gone down the lane, and I thought God, this is a repeat of Miracle, seven years ago.
“It cuts me up, I’m upset now and I feel for the parents, child and siblings. It should not be happening; we can’t let it happen again. It’s a magnet to young people and it should have been drained or filled years ago.
“My heart goes out and breaks for the family and that child, yes they should not have been there, but we’ve just been waiting for this to happen again, because we knew it was inevitable that was going to happen again.
“And even yesterday, because the news had not got around that the boy had died in the quarry the night before, it was only emerging late afternoon and people were still trying to access the quarry and swimming in there - it’s just never going to go away.
“Miracle was a friend of my son, and a girl nearly lost her life there, and there was a death back in 1999.” The mum of five added: ”My heart just breaks for them and most people in Appley Bridge want it drained or filled. My opinion is, why can’t it be turned around and made into a local beauty spot or some sort of legacy for the children that have lost their lives there? Drain it off, make it into a facility rather than a death pool and a magnet that it is to children now.”
Her sadness and anger was echoed by Rebecca Ramsay, the grieving mum of 13-year-old Dylan Ramsay who tragically died while open water swimming in a water filled quarry at Hill Top Quarry in Whittle-le-Woods near Chorley in 2011. The teen ran into difficulties despite being a fit and healthy swimmer when he went into shock due to cold temperatures and sadly died at the scene.
Fighting back tears as she spoke, the prolific campaigner who has since visited hundreds of schools, working with emergency services to teach people about water safety, said: "I’m absolutely heartbroken, where do you even start when it’s history repeating itself? My son was a young, fit, healthy 13-year-old and he just went out for a little bit of fun in the sun and he never, ever thought for one second that he wouldn’t make it home. I know he went for some innocent fun on a hot, summer’s day like so many boys and girls do every single year.
“My heart goes out to the family and to anybody who was there and witnessed this, and the friends there at the time; I believe it was a horrific time for everybody concerned. I have no words, I am just sending out lots of Iove and lots of healing and strength to get through the coming days; this sadness does not end, unfortunately - I wish it did. Every year as soon as the sun comes out, I know that there are going to be more tragedies.”
Last year, by the Environment Agency to allow around 75 per cent of the water to be pumped out of the quarry in question and discharged into the Calico Brook, which runs directly to the east of the quarry. However, planning permission for an access ramp to enable the owners to carry out the work, which would have taken around 12 weeks, was later said to have been refused by Lancashire County Council.
At the time, rejecting the application, the county council argued the number of HGV trips needed would be harmful to residents and that insufficient evidence was given about the potential impact on bats at the site. However, the council now says permission for a smaller ramp would not have been required and that an application for a licence from the Environment Agency is currently being determined by the agency.
Yet anger is mounting in the wake of the latest tragedy, with a Facebook campaign group, entitled ‘Drain or fill Appley Bridge Quarry’ gathering 5,000 members and West Lancs MP Rosie Cooper calling on Lancashire County Council to approve and facilitate the urgent and immediate draining of the East Quarry at Appley Bridge, after the latest tragedy.
Rosie Cooper MP said: “I am saddened by the tragic news that a teenager has died in the East Quarry in Appley Bridge. My deepest sympathies are with his family and friends.
“Although the police, owners and local authorities have consistently done what they can to secure this Quarry to advise and prevent people from swimming in the lake, the size of the site has proved this difficult. Whenever we have a period of good weather, this has led to young people ignoring advice and warnings not to swim in the quarry.
“The quarry must now be drained as a matter of urgency, and I am calling on Lancashire County Council to give the final approval to any pending applications for the developers to begin draining the quarry.”
A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: "This is a terribly tragic incident and our thoughts go out to the boy's family at this really difficult time. Through our schools we support Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service's campaign on water safety, which highlights the need to stay safe around open water, and would urge people to follow the advice especially as the weather remains warm.
"In terms of this site, while planning permission for a ramp was turned down last year, the owners of the quarry have used their permitted development rights to construct a smaller ramp. This did not need planning permission. Draining the site of water requires a licence from the Environment Agency, and we understand an application for this is currently being determined by the Agency."
A spokesperson for Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service told Lancs Live today that its crews had been advising youths who were in the vicinity of the quarry on Monday on water safety, adding: “ On Saturday night, our firefighters were involved in the search for the 16 year old boy who tragically died after getting into difficulty at Dawber Delph in Appley Bridge.
“Drowning is one of the UK's leading causes of accidental death. Each year more than 400 people drown after tripping, falling or just by underestimating the risks associated with being near water. Many more people are left with life changing injuries in water related incidents.
“During periods of warm weather, we encourage people to never swim alone, don’t swim too far from the shore and find open water where there is a lifeguard. Despite the air temperature being warm, the water is usually a lot colder than it looks and if there is a current, it could be a lot stronger than you think.”
Area Manager, Mark Winder of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: “There are many hidden dangers of swimming in open water. The shock of cold water can get even strong swimmers into difficulty, it doesn’t matter how fit and healthy you are, the water is always stronger. The water can be deep, submerged objects may not be visible and it’s difficult to estimate the depth before you get in. Whilst swimmers may be able to enter the water, there are not always suitable places to climb out.
“Finally, we urge parents to have conversations with their teenage children about water safety. There are materials available on the Royal Life Saving Society’s website ( https://www.rlss.org.uk/Pages/Category/water-safety-information ) to help parents learn more about water safety.”
The Environment Agency was contacted by Lancs Live for comment.
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