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Fourth teenager to drown in just 48 hours during heatwave prompts ‘open water’ warning

Tragic: Authorities have warned youngsters about the dangers of swimming in open water:-

A fourth teenager drowned while swimming in a river today prompting a warning to schoolchildren about the dangers of open water.

The body of Rony John, 15, was pulled from the water after he drowned while swimming with pals on his first day off school.

And police also found the body of 16-year-old Conor McColl today who went missing in a flooded quarry.

Earlier this week Kyrece Francis, 13, drowned in the River Thames and tragic 10-year-old Arran Cooper died in a river in Scotland.

David Walker, spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: “We understand the temptation to want to go swimming at open water sites, especially on a sunny day.

“But it is important to consider that even on a hot day the water might be a lot colder or deeper than you were expecting and there may be under water debris that you cannot see from the bank.

“With the heat, we often see young people, particularly men, tempted to cool off or jump into open water.

“If you are going to swim at inland water sites then don’t go alone.

“Consider how you are going to get out of the water before you get in, and be honest about your swimming ability.”

Vince Larvin, spokesman for Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, added: “It may be very appealing to jump into the water to cool off on a warm summer’s day but people need to be aware of how dangerous this really is.

“Lives have already been lost this year across the UK and we don’t want to see anyone else hurt or injured so the message is simple; enjoy the summer, stay out of open water and stay safe.”

The warning comes as millions of people left their homes to enjoy the first weekend of the school holidays.

Today was one of the busiest days of the year on the roads – with congestion heaviest near coastal areas, ports and airports.

Sudden storms hit the great getaway with a lightning strike disrupting trains in Surrey and signalling problems in London’s Waterloo.

On the roads there were holds-ups on the M18 in East Yorkshire due to an accident involving two lorries.

There were also jams on a number of other major routes including the M25, the M5, the M6 and the M11.

The first of an estimated two million Britons who are flying abroad over the weekend headed off tomorrow.

Arran CooperDeadly: Arran Cooper went exploring while his parents set up camp but was found face down in water
But it has been revealed that many are shunning week long holidays and going for short breaks and UK trips instead.

Of 2,000 families surveyed by hotel chain Travelodge, more than half (52 per cent) said they planned to take their summer holidays in Britain.

Two West Country destinations, Cornwall and Devon, were top of the list followed by Blackpool in Lancashire.

Rony was found dead at 2am yesterday after he went missing on Thursday while swimming in the River Great Ouse, nr Hartford, Cambs.

He was with fellow pupils enjoying the first day of the summer holidays when he went underneath the water and did not resurface.

One girl at the scene said: “Apparently he couldn’t swim and he went in with a group of boys and they all held onto him so that he wouldn’t go under and then he said that he could swim.”

Conor drowned in a deep quarry in Clophill, Bedfordshire, after he disappeared at 6pm on Thursday while slimming with friends.

Specialist diving crews searched overnight before recovering his body at 1.15pm yesterday.

The family of the teenager, who comes from Luton, were at the scene when he was found.

One local man said: “This was an accident waiting to happen. .

“The problem is that it used to be a quarry and the water is very very deep.”

Promising footballer Kyrece drowned on Tuesday afternoon after apparently trying to retrieve a ball from the River Thames.

His body was found by police divers near Marlow, Bucks., later that night.

His family said they had not only lost a son but an “angel that would make everyone around him smile”.

On the same day Arran was found face down in a river while on a family holiday to the Scottish Highlands.

The tragic youngster had gone exploring while his parents set up tents and could not be saved by doctors.

Last year, a total of 381 people drowned across the UK, including 185 in canals, rivers and lakes.

Figures show young men are particularly at risk.

– Daily Mirror

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