FEARS have been raised that the hot temperatures may see people take the dangerous decision to cool off in waterways.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK believe that the temperatures of 30C will have the potential to attract people to take a dip in rivers or quarries.

A 16-year-old boy tragically lost his life to drowning in Lancashire over the weekend and the charity is urging people to ensure enjoying the water is fun and not fatal.

Lee Heard, charity director at RLSS UK, said: "We often see people trying to cool off in lakes, quarries, rivers and other waterways when we experience extremely warm weather like this week brings, and many of these people do not have the experience of swimming in these waters and that is where we see people getting into trouble.

"As a result we then see others trying to help those in difficulty by going into the water themselves to attempt a rescue which can have fatal consequences.

"I deeply regret to say we have already seen a number of drownings already in the past few weeks as the temperatures have soared.

“It is vital to ensure that everyone has an understanding of water safety and makes it their responsibility to educate their family and friends on how water can be enjoyed safely to prevent such tragedies.

"In July 2021, there were 49 accidental drowning fatalities in the space of just two weeks in the UK."

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The Royal Life Saving Society UK advise the public to remember to always find a lifeguarded swimming site and to remember that the water at open and inland sites is often much colder than it looks.

The charity also advises to always swim parallel to the shore so that you’re never too far away from it, to be mindful of strong currents in the water and to always bring a friend.

In an emergency call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast.

For further water safety information visit the RLSS UK website at www.rlss.org.uk.