A group of men seen jumping into a popular beauty spot, just yards away from where a teenage boy drowned two years ago have been slammed by a top fire chief for the area.
Clifton Country Park is a popular destination for families, with many enjoying walks around the site which includes stretches of the River Irwell. However, people are regularly discouraged from swimming or jumping in the river due to the dangers of open water, with fire crews working to educate people on the risks and prevent tragic accidents in the water as the weather grows warmer.
The site has been a key point for education in recent years, after 14-year-old Adam Kay tragically died after getting into difficulty when he jumped into the river from a cliff-edge whilst out with friends on the afternoon of June 2, 2020. Adam is one of dozens of young people who have tragically drowned after getting into difficulty in the water in recent years, including 16-year-old Kalen Waugh, who died in Salford Quays last month.
READ MORE: Body of a man found as police launch investigation
Each year, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service try to encourage people to stay out of the water, teaching people of the dangers to prevent future tragedies from occurring. However, the task is often an uphill battle for crews, with Carl Haslam, station commander for Farnworth Fire Station, taking to social media on Saturday evening, August 13, to slam a group of men seen jumping into the River Irwell just yards away from the spot where Adam drowned.
A post on his Twitter page read: "Disappointing to see tonight, adults jumping in where not so long ago a young lad lost his life. Despite several GMFRS Water Safety posters up and also Mark Hoare [a watch manager with the service] and the crews from Agecroft attending, we still can’t educate some."
In the last five years, from January 2017 to December 2021, GMFRS have been called to 41 fatal incidents in the water, nine of which involved young people who got into difficulty after jumping into or swimming in open water across the region. Their annual Safe4Summer campaign tries to give advice to young people and their parents or carers to keep them safe over the summer months, primarily focusing on water safety.
GMFRS urge people to never swim or jump into open water, as cold water shock can kill in just 60 seconds, and it's impossible to see hidden items, debris, or shallow water from the surface. The main rule from crews is to not swim in any bodies of water without a lifeguard present.
People are also encouraged to take any warning or safety signs seriously, look out for hazards around water and stick to proper pathways, and to never enter the water to try and rescue a dog in difficulty. People should also let a friend or loved one know where they're going and when they expect to be back if they're planning to visit the water, so they know when to raise the alarm if you haven't returned.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News after her son's death, Adam's mum Shirley Whitworth said : "I just feel numb. I keep waiting for him to come back through the front door. I can't believe he's gone. I don't sleep very well and I often wake up in the night and go to the toilet. Adam had been a bit of a night owl during the lockdown but he'd never disturbed anyone or made an issue so we'd left him.
"I would go to the toilet at 4am in the morning and just open his door and say, 'come on now, it's bedtime, go to sleep'. I still get up and I look through his door, waiting to see the light on so I can tell him to go to sleep but I know he's not there. Even though I'm thinking about him I know he's not going to be there."
She, and Adam's step-father Mark Whitworth, visited the area where Adam drowned shortly after the tragedy and called for more to be done to keep people out of the water, urging for patrols to be set up in the area to discourage people from swimming or jumping into the water. Similar calls have been made in Salford Quays, the site of at least two fatal drownings involving young people in recent years.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT :
- Fear on the streets where homes leak energy faster than anywhere else
- Passengers face TEN DAY wait for luggage after landing at Manchester Airport
- 'I blame an argument after a trip to the pub in Stockport for dad's stroke'
- Manchester City fans outraged over ‘ridiculous’ sun cream rule at stadium
-
Two men jailed for planning to 'stomp out' 16-year-old boy in 'chilling' conspiracy
