People urged to Get Water Wise as at least four die in heatwave drownings
Young people urged to #GetWaterWise amid spate of deaths in our rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
Last updated 26th May 2026
People are being urged to be careful and to 'Get Water Wise' as the heatwave encourages more of us to take a dip in open water.
Four teenagers have died after getting into difficulty in the water during the bank holiday weekend's hot weather.
Police responded to incidents in Halifax West Yorkshire, the Rother Valley in South Yorkshire and Warwickshire yesterday, a day after a 15-year-old boy's death in Lincolnshire.
Today, the body of a 16 year old has been recovered from Rother Valley Country Park, it's after Police were called just before 7 o'clock last night to reports of someone getting in but not getting out.
Read more about the death of a teenager at a Country Park near Sheffield.
Meanwhile, emergency services said they were called out to Leadbeater Dam on Monday afternoon, and police have confirmed a 13 year old boy was pulled from the water.
Read more about the death of a teenager at a West Yorkshire Dam.
In Warwickshire, a teenage girl has died after coming into difficulty in water at Kingsbury Water Park on Bodymoor Heath Lane. Police were called at 6.05pm on Monday, after concerns for the welfare of the teenager. Read more here.
These devastating incidents come after a 15-year-old lost his life at Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln. Read what his parents shared in a tribute here.
It comes as we're seeing record breaking temperatures for May.
More than 400 lives are lost each year in our waterways, often in hot weather as people try to cool off.
#GetWaterWise campaign launch
We launched the #GetWaterWise campaign, after a tragic number of deaths in open water.
July and August traditionally sees a peak in deaths each year, as people aim to cool off, unaware of the dangers that might be lurking in the water.
In total, more than 400 lives are lost each year in the UK and Ireland.
Speaking to our Senior Correspondent Mick Coyle at a Westminster event, the now former Royal Life Saving Society UK CEO Robert Gofton said:
"People think being able to swim keeps them safe, but it's that additional knowledge that you gain from understanding rips, currents, tides and simple things like what the flags mean at the beach, all those important things that no one teaches you.
"We're really committed to teaching as many kids as we can those vital safety messages."
Newcastle upon Tyne Labour MP Catherine McKinnell said: "Who doesn't want their child armed with the knowledge to be safe in water?
"As a country we need to make sure everyone has it, we can't leave it to chance, we can't leave it as a lottery based on where you live. There's a really simple way of making sure every single person has this knowledge and that's by making sure they get it in school."
Praise for the #GetWaterWise campaign
The former RLSS Chief praised the #GetWaterWise campaign for spreading important messages around water safety, which included teaming up with radio stations across the country to broadcast the #GetWaterWise minute.
The 60 second montage of bereaved families urging people to stay safe laid bare what is at stake if we don't take water safety seriously
Robert told us: "To be honest, its shocking.
"Until you hear from the parents who talk about the feelings and emotions they've gone through when they lose a loved one, it's incredibly powerful.
"It could happen to anyone. Drowning doesn't discriminate, so thank you for continuing that message and raising awareness because we all need to pull together on this."
"I love swimming, my kids love swimming, it's a fantastic life skill and we think more people should do it, but in a really safe way."
#GetWaterWise by following this advice
Follow this advice, and stay safe around water
During hot summer days, lakes, rivers, reservoirs and the sea can look really tempting.
But beneath the surface can lie hidden dangers, cold temperatures an unexpected currents.
The Royal Life Saving Society has this advice to stay safe.
Look out for lifeguards
If you're looking for a place to cool off always find a lifeguarded swimming site.
It’s colder than it looks
Water at open water and inland sites is often much colder than it looks, cold water can affect your ability to swim and self-rescue.
Don’t go too far
Always swim parallel to the shore, that way you're never too far away from it.
It's stronger than it looks
Currents in the water can be very strong. If you find yourself caught in a riptide – don't swim against it – you'll tire yourself out. Swim with the current and call for help.
Bring a friend
Always bring a friend when you go swimming so if anything goes wrong you've got someone there to help.