Double the number of alcohol-related drownings in Manchester than rest of the UK
The findings of a new water safety report come a week after the inquest into t he death of Charlie Pope, who drowned in the Rochdale Canal
It has been revealed Manchester has double the number of alcohol-related drownings than anywhere else in the country.
A new report, from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, found 28 people drowned in the Manchester city centre zone in an 11 year perod.
The report claimed an 'overwhelming' number of deaths happened at night time, with alcohol playing a part in a 'significant proportion'.
The report says lighting along the canal routes is not consistent and areas of antisocial behaviour and crime were apparent when they came to the city to visit.
It is now advising city centre authorities to launch a programme of activities to improve physical safety, as well as reducing antisocial behaviour, reducing crime and providing benefits for the general environment and users.
There are now plans to bring in better lighting, fencing at particular junctions and education programmes alongside the nighttime economy.
Andy Burnham said:
"We've always had a strong water safety partnership in the city, but we've always go to keep challenging ourselves, particularly in light of the tragic events of this year.
"It's why the report was commissioned and we have to look at what can change. It's the right thing to do.
"If you look at where we're standing now, and people know the city centre, there are lots of stretches of unprotected waterway and there's nothing we can do to rope it all off or barrier it all off but the report does say there's key locations where there could be better lighting, barriers and signage."
One of those backing the recommendations is Nick Pope, whose son Charlie died after falling into the Rochdale canal in February:
"You can see how dangerous it is and it needs as much attention as it can. It's only in the last 20-30 years that so much attention has been brought to the canal with building apartments, bars and pubs and the like and there now needs to be a modern approach to that.
"This is Charlie's legacy, right here."