Parents of teen who drowned in river at Wellingborough embankment call for more safety measures

• Ronalds Abele's parents, Laura Kirsteine and Thomas Okyere, spoke to ITV News Anglia reporter Stuart Leithes

The parents of a teenager who drowned in a river are calling for more safety equipment and signage to be installed where he died.

Ronalds Abele, 17, died after getting into difficulty while swimming in the River Nene in Northamptonshire in May.

He had been swimming with a group of friends on what was then the hottest day of the year but they were unable to save him.

His parents, Laura Kirsteine and Thomas Okyere, are now campaigning to get more rescue equipment along the stretch of river where he died.

Ronalds' parents said: "We're not going to let Ronalds' passing be in vain. We're going to raise awareness and we're going to campaign for safety device and equipment to be installed all over this river.

"We don't want any other family going through exactly the same what we are going through at the moment. And it's not easy."

There are signs along the stretch of embankment where Ronalds died stating that there is no life saving equipment because of persistent vandalism.

Ronalds' parents said they want to improve safety along the river.

Ms Kirsteine said: "Instead of putting the money towards a sign they could have put the money towards the safety equipment and put it out here.

"[We don't want to] wait for a family to lose somebody due to not having the safety equipment here which could have saved him."

North Northamptonshire Council has said it will be meeting with Ronalds' parents "with the intention of working with them to explore ways in which we could help facilitate their requests for signage and safety equipment".

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