Nine drownings prompt open-water safety warning amid heatwave

People have been warned of the dangers of swimming in open water after nine deaths during the recent heatwave.

The Royal Life Saving Society issued the warning after the fatal incidents, most of which involved children. It said warmer weather sees an increase in accidental drownings.

At least seven young people died in the water. The youngest was 12-year-old Junior Slater, who died in a Lancashire river on Tuesday afternoon. A man in his 60s and a woman in her 70s also died in separate incidents.

The society warned that water temperatures remain very cold despite higher air temperatures. Cold water shock can make swimming difficult and can hinder efforts to get out of the water.

At Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln, 15-year-old Declan Sawyer was found dead after emergency crews responded to reports that he had got into difficulty at about 14:30 on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, a 72-year-old woman was pulled from the water at West Angle Bay beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

On Bank Holiday Monday, a 13-year-old boy named locally as Reco Puttock was pronounced dead after being pulled from Leadbeater Dam in Halifax, West Yorkshire. The body of a teenage girl, Lillianna Tomlinson, thought to be 16, was recovered from Kingsbury Water Park in Warwickshire. The body of a teenage boy was recovered from a lake in Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

Also on Monday, a man in his 60s died after running into the sea to help two relatives who had got into difficulty at Tregirls Beach near Padstow, Cornwall, police said.

On Tuesday, Junior Slater died after getting into difficulty in the River Ribble in Lancashire. His family paid tribute to "our little blue-eyed boy."

On Wednesday, Cheshire police found a body in Pickmere Lake during the search for a 17-year-old boy who went missing after swimming at the site. The body of a teenage boy who reportedly went missing after swimming was recovered by police at Hawley Lake near Farnborough.

A leading network for drowning prevention recommended swimming in supervised locations with lifeguards where possible and entering the water slowly to reduce the risk of cold-water shock.

Cold-water shock is an involuntary physiological response when the body is suddenly immersed in water. It causes blood vessels in the skin to close, which increases blood flow resistance. The heart must work harder and blood pressure rises.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution defines anything below 15C as cold water. Average UK and Ireland sea temperatures are 12C, and some rivers can be colder even in summer.

Jim Bridge from the Water Safety Partnership told BBC Breakfast on Wednesday morning that people who find themselves in difficulty should "float to live."

"So lie on your back with your head back, with your ears submerged, use your arms and legs to stabilise yourself and just let your breathing come back to a normal breathing pattern," he said.

"And when you're feeling confident that you've gotten used to the water and your breathing's normal, you can shout for help or swim to save yourself."

On Tuesday, the UK recorded the hottest day in May, with temperatures reaching 35.1C at Kew Gardens in London. For two days in a row, parts of south-east England went above 34C. Nearly all weather stations across England and Wales broke their local May temperature records on Monday and Tuesday.

The Met Office says a heatwave occurs when an area reaches a certain high temperature for at least three days in a row.

Wednesday brought cooler air over northern and eastern areas of England. National Rail warned that services could be altered until Thursday because the hot weather can cause overhead lines to expand and sag, line-side fires and rails to buckle. Speed restrictions could also be imposed. There is major disruption between Lancaster and Oxenholme Lake District that is expected until the end of the day. Train companies affected include Avanti West Coast, Northern and TransPennine Express.

The Met Office issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for much of Wales, south-west England and parts of the Midlands from 15:00 to 23:59 on Wednesday. It could bring torrential downpours, frequent lightning, large hail and strong, gusty winds.

Over the next few days it will remain hot in many areas. The UK Health Security Agency said amber heat-health alerts for the South West, South East, London, East and West Midlands, and East of England will remain until 17:00 on Thursday, with yellow alerts for the North West and North East.

Separately, about 18,000 customers across Kent were still experiencing water supply issues as of Wednesday after the system buckled from extremely high demand during the hot weather.