Body recovered from Ardsley Reservoir in search for missing man
Emergency services searching for a man who went missing in a reservoir in West Yorkshire have recovered a body.
Police were called to Ardsley Reservoir, near Wakefield, at 5.30pm on Saturday, 16 July, to a report a man had got into difficulty in the water.
A 50-year-old man from the local area was found dead in the water on Sunday afternoon, 17 July.
His death is being treated as non-suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner.
Det Insp Phil Hughes, of Leeds CID, said: "This is a tragic incident in which a man has lost his life. Specially trained officers are supporting his family at this difficult time.
"This incident serves as a timely reminder about the dangers of swimming in open water."
The incident came as the Met Office issued an unprecedented red warning for heat for the coming week – meaning there is a "very likely" risk to life – with temperatures expected to reach a record 40C in some areas, although Saturday's highs did not exceed 30C.
And it comes just days after the emergency services reiterated warnings about the dangers of open water swimming in hot weather after the death of a 16-year-old boy in a canal near Wakefield.
Alfie McCraw died after getting into difficulty in the Aire and Calder Navigation, near the Southern Washlands, Wakefield, on Monday, 11 July. He had just finished his GCSEs.
Ardsley Reservoir, also known locally as Tingley reservoir, is owned by Yorkshire Water, which says on its website that swimming in the water is prohibited.
The website says: "You can't swim in Ardsley Reservoir. Reservoirs are really dangerous places and have lots of dangers hidden under the surface. We don't allow anyone to swim in our reservoirs, even if you’re a great swimmer."
Det Insp Hughes added: "The weather is due to get hotter this week, I would urge people to not enter or swim in reservoirs or open waters."
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