Wigan woman warns of cold water swimming risks after brother's death
It comes ahead of people entering the icy waters this winter for their 'cold water dips'
A woman from Wigan is warning against the dangers of cold water swimming this winter after her brother drowned.
Haydn Griffiths lost his life off the coast of New Brighton in 2022 despite being a strong swimmer.
Since his death, his family has been campaigning for improved water safety measures.
Haydn's sister, Megan, said the public needs to be aware that cold water swimming can be dangerous all year round.
She is urging people to think carefully about entering icy waters during the winter months: "Enter the water slowly to acclimatise and regulate your breathing because cold water shock really can be fatal.
"It's not just for the summer, you've got your cold water swimmers and people are in the water in the winter a lot more than you'd think.
"If you are one of those people, enjoy the water but remember to respect it, and just be aware of the potential dangers and keep yourself safe.
"This goes out to all the strong swimmers that want to go out and do a Christmas dip or a cold water 'Boxing Day' dip with their friends, just take it easy, because the water can be dangerous, even if you're fit and healthy.
"As long as our messaging, and sharing Haydn's story can save at least one life - we don't want any family to go through what we've been going through."