Parents are being urged to speak to their children about cold water shock
Safety experts say so-called 'cold water shock' can kick in within minutes when the water's 15 degrees celcius or lower.
We're diving deeper into the dangers of open water in West Yorkshire, as we reveal one child a week dies from drowning in the UK.
Safety experts say so-called 'cold water shock' can kick in within minutes when the water's 15 degrees celcius or lower.
It's when someone ends up gasping for air and their heart rate shoots up within minutes of diving into a reservoir, lake or river.
That's pretty much the temperature of all rivers, lakes, and reservoirs in Britain during the summer.
Steve Smith from the Canal and River Trust said:
"Water is cold, despite what people might think and there is a risk of shock from people entering cold water.
"Please find another way of cooling down, go grab a nice cool ice cream or get the paddling pool out in the back garden."