Fire service spells out dangers of open water

Following a number of serious water incidents over recent weeks, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has issued a safety warning emphasising the dangers of open water.

County Fire Officer Barry Dixon said: “It is an almost inevitable fact that during the summer months we will find ourselves attending incidents involving someone who has got into difficulty in or around open water. It’s tempting for people but it is all too easy for them to get into trouble by not recognising the risks.”

There is no supervision at reservoirs should people get into trouble and the water can be a lot colder than people expect, which impacts on people's physical capabilities.

Often people can’t find a suitable place to get out of the water and there is no way of knowing what lies beneath the water's surface, such as shopping trolleys, opened tin cans, broken bottles.