The body of a teenage girl has been pulled from the water after a major rescue effort was launched following reports that she had gotten into difficulty near the River Tame.
Residents described the scenes in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester as 'distressing' after police were called on Monday August 15.
Paramedics and fire crews also attended at around 6.30pm but Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a body had been recovered overnight.
Officers said their enquiries were ongoing but claimed they were not treating the girl's death as suspicious.
The tragic teen becomes the fourth person to die in UK waterways in the last seven days as Brits were hit with another scorching heatwave over the weekend.
Detective Inspector Steven Horton, of our Tameside CID, said: “Yesterday evening’s events are nothing short of devastating and my thoughts are with the friends and family of the young girl who lost her life in such awful circumstances.
“We are doing all we can to support the girl’s family at this incredibly difficult time, and we are focused on ensuring they get the answers they deserve as to how this tragedy occurred.
“From our enquiries so far, we are confident that there are no suspicious circumstances and that this is such a sad reminder of the dangers of entering open water, whatever the weather.”
Police confirmed that a formal identification had taken place and specially trained officers were offering support to the family.
On social media, tributes flooded in for the young girl as residents described watching the tragedy unfold while others read the news with "tears streaming down" their faces.
Others commended the work of emergency crews who "worked so hard to help her".
One wrote: "Watching all the emergency services fly past us was sickening! They tried their best to get to her as quick as they could. I’m so so sorry for her family’s loss it’s absolutely heartbreaking."
Only a week before this tragedy in Stalybridge,, 14-year-old Lewis Agyei-Sekyireh died in North Met Lake, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire on Monday, August 8
Just four days later, another boy, aged 13 died after getting into difficult in the sea off Skegness' coastline.
Emergency services were called at 6.15pm, and his body was recovered at 11.30pm.
On the same day, Jay Walker, 21, died at Lakeside, Doncaster.
Labour MP for Stalybridge paid tribute to the young girl and urged people to heed the warnings of water safety groups.
He wrote on Facebook : "Devastating news for Stalybridge. My heart goes out to her family, friends, school peers and neighbours. Thank you to the emergency services for working through the night.
"This is the second heartbreaking death of a local teenager in open waters in recent years- please, please heed the warnings of the Jack Pullen Foundation and encourage our much loved young people to do so."
The namesake foundation was set up in memory of Jack Pullen who drowned in the River Etherow, Hyde in 2016.
