Hot Weather - Cold Water!

Residents are reminded that bodies of water can hide dangers such as hidden currents, hazardous objects, pollution and the risk of cold water shock.

Cold water shock affects a person's ability to swim and is a common problem in the UK.

Immersion in cold water leads to rapid cooling of the skin, gasping, hyperventilation and the restriction of blood flow. This can lead to panic as muscle length decreases, causing fatigue and reduced control over body movements.

According to the Royal Life Saving Society, 85 per cent of accidental drownings occur at open water sites.

Police are advising residents to keep away from the water's edge if walking near open water.

For those entering the water, residents are warned to avoid weirs, locks, pipes and sluices, and to never mix alcohol with swimming.

Police are also asking people to wear the recommended safety equipment and to get out of the water as soon as you start to feel cold.

Anyone who spots someone struggling in the water is urged to tell a nearby lifeguard, or call 999 and ask for the police at inland water sites and the coastguard at the beach.

They should then throw a buoyant to them and trye t reach them with a pole or item of clothing if safe to do so.

A number of agencies are uniting, alongside the families of those affected by drowning to promote water safety and prevent further tragedies. 

The Home and Dry campaign is backed a number of partners including West Mercia Police, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, West Mercia Search and Rescue, RLSS UK, RNLI and Severn Trent Water. 

Collectively the campaign aims to encourage people to be aware of the dangers, and to develop and share educational resources to ensure water safety is embedded in people’s minds from an early age. Extensive resources have been developed for use in classrooms since the campaign first began in 2017, with the ultimate aim that water safety would have a greater part in the National Curriculum.  

The families of Tom Jones, who lost his life in the River Severn in Worcester in 2018, and Shane Walsh who lost his life to the River Severn in Shrewsbury in 2017 have continued to back the campaign, calling for the sharing of water safety messages to prevent other families experiencing what they have been through.  

On World Drowning Prevention Day 2025 (25th July) agencies came together in Worcester and Ironbridge to re-launch the campaign, with demonstrations from key agencies highlighting how people can keep themselves safe, enjoy the water safety and know what to do if they do get into trouble in the water.