Greater Manchester Police have recovered the body of a 15-year-old boy from water near Cowbury Reservoir in Stalybridge. Officers were called at around 6.30pm on 27 June 2026 following reports of a teenage boy getting into difficulty in the water. Fire and ambulance services also attended the scene.
Body Found Later That Evening
Sadly, a body was located in the water later that evening. Formal identification has taken place, and the boy's family have been informed. Detectives have confirmed there are no suspicious circumstances, and a file is being prepared for the coroner.
Police Warning on Open Water Dangers
Chief Inspector Helen Baxter said: “Yesterday’s events are nothing short of devastating and my thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the young boy who sadly lost his life in such awful circumstances. We are confident that there are no suspicious circumstances and that this is such a sad reminder of the dangers of entering open water. We remind the public to please avoid being tempted to cool off in reservoirs, rivers, canals or ponds. We all want to enjoy the warm weather; please make sure you do so in a safe way.”
Water Safety Campaign
The Mirror has launched the Save Lives For Sam water safety campaign to tackle the UK's growing drowning crisis. Backed by MPs, Olympic champions, national water safety organisations and bereaved families, the campaign is calling for urgent action to make waters safer. This includes compulsory water safety lessons in schools, a nationwide public awareness campaign, better lifesaving equipment at high-risk waterways, the introduction of Sam's Law, and a dedicated Minister for Water Safety.
