Water safety campaigners slam 'shocking' Birds Eye advert

Water safety campaigners in County Durham have welcomed a global food giant’s decision to change a TV advert.

Last month Birds Eye began airing an advert on national television where a man and a boy jump into water, with the voiceover:

Among those to criticise the commercial was Fiona Gosling from Crook. Her son Cameron died of cold water shock in 2015.

He died after jumping into the River Wear near Bishop Auckland, before acclimatising to the temperature. He was just 14-years-old at the time.

Along with the Safe Durham Partership and Durham County Council, Fiona has launched the 'Dying to be Cool' campaign. It is aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of the potentially fatal risks of jumping into water without getting used to the temperature first.

'Dying to be Cool' has seen Cameron’s mum Fiona deliver school assemblies to more than 10,000 children across County Durham. A video telling ‘Cameron’s Story’ has also reached more than one million people on Facebook alone.

The advert prompted the council to write to Birds Eye calling for the advert to be changed. The letter, written by Jane Robinson, chair of Durham City Safety Group, and Kevin Lough, chair of Durham Open Water Safety Group, says:

Birds Eye has now confirmed it has pulled the advert and that it will be removing the references to the temperature of the water and the weather.

Jane Robinson, chair of Durham City Safety Group said:

Dying to be Cool has contributed to a reduction in water related fatalities and injuries sinceit was launched.

According to Safe Durham Partnership figures:

In 2015 - 2016:

In 2016 - 2017

In all of 2017, there were no fatalities in open water in County Durham.