A 29-year-old man from Bolton has died after getting into difficulty in the sea near Blackpool on Saturday, becoming the seventh drowning victim over the hottest weekend of the year so far. The RNLI and coastguard searched for five hours after he went under the waves at around 3.25pm and failed to resurface. He had been enjoying the warm weather with friends.
Another man's body was recovered from Victory Quarry in Dove Holes, Derbyshire on Sunday evening. Derbyshire police were called at around 7pm following reports that someone had entered the water and found himself in difficulty. Despite extensive search and rescue efforts, the man's body was recovered shortly before 11pm.
In Sheffield, a man was pulled from a lake at Crookes Valley Park late on Sunday evening, several hours after going missing. Reports of a man in difficulty were made at 7.31pm, and emergency services located a body just before midnight. This was the fifth drowning victim from the weekend, with at least six confirmed deaths.
Earlier, a 16-year-old boy, Mohammad Abdul Hamid, known as Hamid, from Carlisle, drowned in the River Eden. His body was found near Stony Holme at around 11.45am on Sunday. Cumbria police confirmed the identification and said circumstances are being investigated for the coroner.
Group Manager Paul Hawker of Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service urged the public to stay safe: 'When the weather is hot, we know people are tempted to cool down by swimming in open water, however no matter how warm the weather is, the water remains cold which can cause cold water shock. Hidden rocks and debris can also pose a threat.' He noted that over 200 people were at nearby Waterswallows Quarry on Sunday.
In a separate incident, a man collapsed and died after reportedly suffering from heat stroke while playing football in Tower Hamlets on Sunday. Paramedics arrived within seven minutes but he died at the scene.
