Drowning warning at Northamptonshire reservoirs as Anglian Water backs national campaign

Pitsford Reservoir and water park attracts thousands of visitors ever year and the company has stressed it wants every one of them to enjoy the facilities safely. Anglian Water also has reservoirs at Ravensthorpe and Hollowell. With the exception of supervised events such as triathlons, swimming is not permitted at any of these sites.

Forty four per cent of people who drown in the UK had no intention of entering the water. That’s why it’s so important to make sure everyone is aware of the dangers and knows what safety measures to take when around reservoirs or any other body of open water.

Sarah Dobson, from Anglian Water, said: “We want people to enjoy the lovely weather but more importantly we want them to stay safe.

“It might look appealing to dive into a calm-looking reservoir, but these are operational sites and can be extremely dangerous for even the strongest swimmer.

“Reservoirs are often in isolated locations and are incredibly deep with hidden machinery under the water and many sudden dips and drops. They also have very strong, hidden currents from the continuous pumping of water to customers’ homes.

“Anyone ignoring the warning is risking their life, as well as those of others who may come to their aid.”

The Royal Life Saving Society UK has provided their advice on staying safe around water:

* Don’t swim at unsupervised, un-lifeguarded sites including lakes, quarries, reservoirs and rivers

* Don’t jump into water from heights or ‘tombstone’

* Don’t swim into deep water which will be colder

* Do swim at supervised, lifeguarded sites

* Do look for signs and advice about the specific dangers at the place where you are considering swimming

* Do think about what you will do if something goes wrong

More information is available at www.anglianwater.co.uk/reservoirsafety