Body of boy, 15, recovered from water at Clifton Country Park during heatwave

Emergency services were called to Clifton Country Park in Swinton, Greater Manchester on Saturday afternoon following reports of a teenager in difficulty in the water

The body of a teenage boy has been recovered from a country park in north Manchester.

Emergency services rushed to Clifton Country Park in Swinton on Saturday at 4.51pm following reports of a 15-year-old getting into difficulty in the water. Underwater search teams from the North West Under Water Search and Marine Unit located a body in the water today.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that, while formal identification is yet to take place, the boy’s family have been notified of the discovery and are receiving support from specialist officers. The public has now been urged to stay safe during hot weather, with high temperatures expected to return later this week.

Detective Inspector Dave Ogden commented: “Saturday’s incident is truly heart breaking, and my thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of the young boy who has so tragically lost his life. While we are satisfied there are no suspicious circumstances, this incident is an incredibly upsetting reminder of the serious risks associated with open water.

“We understand people want to make the most of the warm weather, but we would urge everyone to stay safe and avoid entering reservoirs, rivers, canals or ponds. Please take care and enjoy the weather in a safe way.”

The body of another 15-year-old boy was pulled from Cowbury Reservoir in Stalybridge, Tameside, on the eastern side of Manchester on Saturday evening. In a separate tragedy, a 55 year old woman lost her life after entering a pool at Sandwell Valley Country Park in West Bromwich in the West Midlands on Saturday afternoon, reports the Mirror.

Additional victims who have perished in drowning incidents over the past week include 13-year-old Hayden Jones-Powell from Syston, Leicestershire, 22-year-old Brody Leach, whose body was retrieved from the River Severn in Shrewsbury, and a 15-year-old boy whose body was discovered at Testwood Lakes near Southampton.

At the beginning of June, The Mirror launched the “Save Lives for Sam” campaign to stop the “catastrophic” deaths of 33 children who drown in England every year – “the equivalent of a classroom of children lost”. Drowning across the UK has been labelled an “epidemic” and a “national emergency,” according to campaigners.

Backed by MPs, Olympic champions, national water safety organisations and bereaved families, the campaign is calling for urgent action to make our waters safer. That includes compulsory water safety lessons in schools, a nationwide public awareness campaign, better lifesaving equipment at high-risk waterways, the introduction of Sam’s Law, and a dedicated Minister for Water Safety.

Find out more about the Mirror’s campaign and how you can support it here.

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