A WARNING has gone out to residents about swimming in open water after police were called to reports of ten youths swimming in the lake at Tardebigge Reservoir.
PCSO Susan White made the plea on social media, stating: “Please be aware it might be a nice warm day but the water in the reservoir is extremely cold and dangerous.
“This is also a private reservoir and is NOT for members of the public.”
Statistics from the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) show around 85 per cent of accidental drownings in the UK occur at open water sites.
The cold water can also be a shock to the system and people have no knowledge of what hazards lie beneath the surface of the water.
Severn Trent has previously said one of its reservoirs was as deep as a nine-storey building and, with water being pumped in and out, very strong currents are created.
The warning also coincides with Drowning Prevention Week which has been running over the last few days and ends today.
Visit the RLSS’ website at rlss.org.uk for more on open water swimming and Drowning Prevention Week.
