Yorkshire Water warns of dangers of open-water swimming

David McKennaBBC News
News imageBBC High Eske Nature ReserveBBC
Yorkshire Water said there were hidden dangers in places such as reservoirs and rivers

Yorkshire Water has issued a fresh warning about the dangers of swimming in open water.

It coincides with The Royal Life Saving Society's Drowning Prevention Week, which runs from 17-24 June.

The initiative aims to encourage people to enjoy water safely and educate young people and communities to help them stay safe around water.

As part its support, Yorkshire Water is hosting a number of events for schools on 21 and 22 June.

They will cover topics such as the "hidden dangers" in open water areas such as rivers, reservoirs, canals and seas and advice on how to stay safe.

The sessions are being run in partnership with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and the RNLI.

Anne Reed, social value and education manager at Yorkshire Water, said: "Cold water can be a killer and we'd like to start raising awareness of water safety from a young age.

"Tragically, we have already seen a number of open-water fatalities in our region this year," she said.

"The UK's beautiful waterways should be places where everyone feels at ease, and can take pleasure from their surroundings, whatever their age, whatever their activity level," she added.

News imagePresentational grey line

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk or send video here.