Teenager dies swimming at High Force waterfall
A 16-year-old boy who died while swimming at High Force waterfall in County Durham has been named by police.
Curtis Atherton from Hartlepool was with his brothers and friends when he got into difficulty last night.
The alarm was raised at 8pm when police, fire crews, air support and mountain and fell rescue attended and a search of the river was carried out.
Curtis was located at around 9.45pm and airlifted to James Cook hospital in Middlesbrough where he sadly later died.
Detective Inspector Andy Crowe said “This is a devastating incident and a stark reminder of how a fun afternoon swimming with friends can end in tragedy. “My advice is simple; do not swim in open stretches of water such as this as the dangers are often well hidden.
“As well as the deceptively cold water temperatures which affect people’s ability to swim, there are many hidden hazards lying beneath, such as strong currents and discarded rubbish or rocks.
“Curtis’s family would like to thank everyone involved in the efforts to locate him yesterday evening.”