Grieving South Yorkshire dad urges young people 'not to risk' going into open water
We've been speaking to Rotherham man Simon Haycock almost a year since his teenage son Sam drowned at the Ulley reservoir
A grieving dad from South Yorkshire is urging youngsters across the region 'not to risk' going into open water as the weather improves this year.
Simon's Haycock's 16-year-old son Sam drowned at the Ulley reservoir in Rotherham last May.
He's been delivering water safety messages at local schools in the town since the tragedy happened:
"You don't know what's under that water. There could be debris, or it could be really, really deep.
"There's a lot of hazards around open water sites. They aren't places to be swimming in.
"The worst-case scenario is when young ones dare each other to jump in.
"That's a real tragedy. If you dare one of your friends to jump in the open water and they end up drowning, then you've got to live with that for the rest of your life.
"As nice as the weather may end up, the open water is still freezing cold, so cold-water shock is very much a possibility.
"I'd strongly advise people to use indoor swimming pools instead.
"You can see in a swimming pool how clear it is. It's clean water and it's looked after, but more importantly, you've got lifeguards there.
"That means if you end up getting into trouble, there's somebody there to help.
"When you're out in those open waters, you can be miles away from help."
Simon Haycock will be putting on a water safety fun day at Clifton Park in Rotherham next month in an effort to educate youngsters in the town on the issue.
It's due to take place on Saturday 28th May from 10am-5pm to mark a year since Sam's tragic death.