Warning From Friends Of Teens Killed In River Wear

Friends of a teenage girl who drowned in the River Wear are now helping others to know the dangers of open water.

14 year old Chloe Fowler and Toni-Beth Purvis who was 15 both lost their lives after getting into difficulty at Fatfield in Washington in 2013.

Classmates Beth and Shauna are now working with Sunderland City Council and feature on a DVD about river safety.

Beth says “We came together to warn people of the dangers, and raise awareness of water safety. When you know someone who has lost their life in this way it's horrible. We don't want any more deaths in the River Wear because we don't want anyone to have to go through what we felt about losing two of our friends."

Sunderland City Council is working in partnership with the RNLI on joint water safety campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers in and around water safety #respectthewater.

When it comes to water safety Sunderland City Council have the following advice

• Always look for dangers such as slippery river banks and rough seas when you go near the water and avoid them

• Taking safety advice; lifeguards, flags and signs can all give safety information and warnings

• Water depths alter with the tide – water may be shallower than it seems

• Submerged objects like rocks may not be visible – these can cause serious impact injuries

• The shock of cold water can make it difficult to swim

• Getting out of the water is often more difficult than people realise

• Strong currents can rapidly sweep people away