Hampshire and Isle of Wight fire service see increase in water rescues
The service say they've been to more water rescues this year than the whole of 2025
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service say they've been to more water rescues this year than the whole of 2025.
It comes after the body of a 15-year-old boy was found at the weekend - he'd gone missing after at Testwood Lakes in Totton.
Kelly Hedges is from the fire service's community safety team.
She said: "Our last data shows that alarmingly we have been to more water rescues this year in 2026 than we did the whole of 2025.
"Drowning is preventable and nobody should drown.
"Knowing how to swim is not enough.
"It's really important to talk to your children as parents about what to do in an emergency, including how to stay safe, stay calm, float, and if they get into difficulty, how to call for help."