Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has issued a warning after two separate water incidents involving children on Saturday evening, one of which resulted in the death of a 15-year-old boy.
Body Recovered from Tameside Reservoir
The body of a teenage boy was recovered from Cowbury Reservoir in Stalybridge, Tameside, following a major emergency response. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said they were called at around 6:30pm on Saturday to reports of a 15-year-old boy getting into difficulty in the water. His body was later located and recovered by specialist teams.
In a statement, GMP confirmed: "Sadly, a body was located in the water later that evening and was recovered by specialist partners. Formal identification has taken place and his family have been made aware." Detectives from Tameside CID are confident there are no suspicious circumstances, and a file is being prepared for the coroner.
Search Underway on River Irwell
In a separate incident, police are searching the River Irwell at Clifton Country Park in Salford after a boy was seen in difficulty in the water. Emergency services were called at around 4:49pm on Saturday. Reports indicate that a teenage boy entered the water with others; a teenage girl was pulled out unharmed by friends, and another boy managed to escape the water himself.
Fire Service Warning
Steve Jordan, Area Manager for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The thoughts of everyone in our Service are with the family and friends affected by separate incidents in our waterways yesterday. These are upsetting reminders of how quickly situations can become dangerous around open water."
He warned: "Even on warm days, the water is cold enough to cause cold water shock - which can make you inhale water and affect your movement - if you jump in, fall in or enter the water suddenly. And there could be dangerous objects and strong currents beneath the surface. These risks are real, and the consequences can be fatal."
Jordan urged the public to have honest conversations with young people about the dangers of open water swimming and to remember the 'float to live' technique: tilting the head back, moving hands and legs, and relaxing to control breathing. He also stressed that if someone else is in trouble, bystanders should not enter the water but instead call 999, tell the person to float, and throw something that floats.
