Swimmers seen in Ardsley Reservoir days after man's death

Police have issued fresh warnings after swimmers and people in dinghies were seen in a reservoir just days after a man's body was recovered from the water.

The 50-year-old man died after getting into difficulty at Ardsley Reservoir, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on Saturday, 16 July. His body was pulled from the water after a search lasting almost 24 hours.

West Yorkshire Police said officers had been patrolling the reservoir since the incident to offer advice to young people and reiterating warnings about the dangers of open water swimming.

But, the force said, there had been a number of reports of people in the water during the recent heatwave.

In a post on Facebook, the Leeds South Neighbourhood Policing Team said: "Over the last couple of days we have received a number of reports of youths swimming in the reservoir, some taking inflatables and dinghies.

"It is extremely important that this message is shared, we would also appreciate it if you could speak with your children about the dangers of swimming in reservoirs and open waters."

The man's death followed earlier warnings about the dangers of open water prompted by the death of 16-year-old Alfie McCraw in a canal in Wakefield the previous week.

Swimming is banned in Ardsley Reservoir – also known as Tingley Reservoir – which is owned by Yorkshire Water.

After Saturday's incident local charity WF3 Kindness posted on Facebook: "We are lucky to have such a beautiful place right on our door step, we are lucky to have somewhere nice to walk, jog, ride and spend time with our families and our pets, but this is a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk in open waters and as tempting as the cool water is in these high temperatures, please stay safe and encourage others to keep safe too."

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