Rising visitor numbers at country parks in Northamptonshire spark warnings over water safety

People visiting country parks in Northamptonshire are being urged to stay safe around water as visitor numbers rise.

The fire service said its seen an increase in staycation visitors to places like Sywell Country Park, Barnwell and Fermyn Woods, as families choose to stay in the UK this summer rather than go abroad.

It's warning the waterways hide weeds and undergrowth that swimmers could become tangled or put themselves at risk of cold water shock.

“We love welcoming people to our country parks and think it’s fantastic that people are choosing to make the most of the wonderful landscapes and scenery the county has to offer", Northamptonshire County Council's Sandra Naden-Horley, said:.

“Whilst we recognise it can be very tempting for people to want to take a dip, particularly on a warm day, there are many hidden dangers beneath the water’s surface and it is simply not safe for this to happen."

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said it has also has problems with people not following park bylaws.

Visitors have also been leaving litter behind, using parks for barbecues and having social gatherings late into the evening, with some unauthorised swimming taking place.

Darren Carson, Prevention Team Leader at Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “I think the country parks are understandably seeing a lot of visitors at the moment, with people using them to enjoy the school holidays, and possibly with some families opting not to go away for their holidays this year.

“We really want people to enjoy their summers and their green spaces safely so we would urge them to please be mindful of the signs around parks which remind visitors about what is expected from them. We hope people will only have barbecues in designated areas and will make sure they are safe about positioning them away from trees, bushes and anything that could ignite.

“The swimming messages are also important as water can firstly be colder than people expect and can contain hidden hazards, which can catch out even the strongest swimmers. We would ask people to please stay out of the water at country parks, rivers and lakes, unless a supervised open water swimming session is being carried out.”

For more details about open water safety, see: https://www.rlss.org.uk/dos-dont-and-the-dangers-of-open-water