The body of a teenage boy has been recovered following a major search operation at a pond in Swanscombe, Kent. Kent Police were called to Galley Hill Road at 2.55pm on Wednesday after reports of a swimmer in difficulty.
Emergency services, including Kent Fire and Rescue Service and South East Coast Ambulance Service, attended the scene. The boy's body was recovered, and his death is not being treated as suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
The incident comes during a record-breaking May heatwave in the UK, with temperatures reaching 35.1°C in parts of London. It follows a series of tragic drownings across the country, including seven young people and two adults who died in open water over the preceding days.
Among the recent victims were 12-year-old Junior Slater, who vanished while swimming in the River Ribble in Lancashire, and 15-year-old Declan Sawyer, who died at Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln. A teenage girl also died at Kingsbury Water Park in Warwickshire.
The RNLI has reminded the public of the dangers of cold water shock, urging caution during hot weather. Galley Hill Road remains closed while investigations continue.
