Yorkshire Water issues warning after hundreds seen swimming in reservoirs
It comes after several drownings in Yorkshire over the past few days
Yorkshire Water is urging people not to swim in its reservoirs, after hundreds were reported to be swimming or getting ready to swim at just 14 of their sites.
The warning comes as several people have drowned in bodies of water in Yorkshire over the past few days.
On Monday the body of a man was recovered from Pugney's Country Park in Wakefield.
Over the weekend a man drowned in a lake at Sheffield's Crookes Valley Park.
On Tuesday a 15 year old boy died after getting into difficulty in a canal in Knottingley.
The water supplier says its recorded 762 people swimming or intending to swim at just 14 of its reservoirs in the week to July 18.
The surge in incidents comes amid the recent hot weather, but the true number of those taking the risk of swimming in reservoirs is almost certainly higher.
Yorkshire Water managed 130 reservoirs across the region.
Gaynor Craigie, head of land and property at Yorkshire Water, said:
“The last week has tragically seen four people lose their lives in open water in our region, following on from a further four fatalities earlier in the year.
“Our sites have seen a dramatic increase in people swimming, particularly during the recent warm weather, with our teams speaking to almost 800 people intending to swim at just a handful of our sites, including young unaccompanied children."
We know the true number of people entering reservoirs across the region will be much greater and we would urge people not to take risks by getting into the water for any reason.
“There are several risks associated with open water at reservoirs, which are often underestimated, and pose a potential risk to life."
"These include cold water shock, unseen objects, the hazards of operational machinery and the underwater currents they cause.
"We would urge people not to underestimate these dangers and to speak to their children about the risks of entering open water.”
The company says its been consulting with emergency services, wild swimming groups and schools across Yorkshire to try to reduce the risks.
We've teamed up with radio stations across the country to spread our #GetWaterWise awareness campaign to highlight the issue of water safety this summer