Calls for water at West Lancs Quarry to be pumped out after third death in recent years
A 16 year old died at Dawber Delph between Wigan and Skelmersdale on Saturday night
West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper is supporting plans to pump the water out of Dawber Delph Quarry in Appley Bridge, between Wigan and Skelmersdale.
It comes after emergency services were called at around 9:40pm on Saturday 9 July following reports a 16 year old boy ad gotten into difficulty in the open water.
He died after being pulled out late on Saturday night, becoming the third person in recent years to die there.
Despite the landowner installing heavy-duty fencing and lots of signage, teenagers continue to go into the quarry, risking their lives.
We spoke to Beckie Ramsay - a water safety campaigner and activist who lost her own son Dylan in a similar incident 11 years ago.
She said:
"It's like reliving your own nightmare all over again.
"I'm so empathetic with the family, my love, hugs, strength and everything I have goes out to the family.
"We've come a long way. Fire services and police are more involved and are more pro active in talking about water safety, but there's sill such a long way to go
"Ever child in every school needs this lesson. Starting with the younger ones, in primary schools talking about water safety around the home, and then primary schools, talking about swimming baths and lakes and then high schools where we can talk to them about the dangers of open water like the sea, lakes, rivers and abandoned quarries."
The landowner told us he installed pumps in 2020 and was prepared to pump the water out, but objections and complaints from local residents meant he was unable.
It's understood a new application is being submitted today (Monday 11th July.)
One of the proposals is to pump out the water, fill it with concrete and put 1 meter of water back in the quarry, that way the risk of drowning would be minimised whilst the aesthetic of the quarry, widely regarded as a 'beauty spot' would be untarnished.
Officers are not treating the death as suspicious, and a file is due to be passed to the coroner.