Seven young people and two adults, including a grandfather in Cornwall, have lost their lives in rivers, lakes, reservoirs and the sea as people took the plunge to cool off in the heat19:34, 27 May 2026Updated 19:38, 27 May 2026Water safety experts have warned about the dangers of outdoor swimming after nine drownings in the UK heatwave.‌Seven young people and two adults have lost their lives in rivers, lakes, reservoirs and the sea as people take the plunge to cool off in the 35C heat. They warned of ‘cold shock response’ as the water will still be at winter temperatures, causing hyperventilation which often leads to drowning.‌Junior Slater was the latest youngster to be identified after his body was recovered after being swept away in the River Ribble, Lancashire, on Tuesday. In a tribute to the 12-year-old his family said: “Our little blue-eyed boy. He will be truly missed. He was the life and soul of our lives. Words can’t describe how we are feeling right now. We will forever love you Junior.”‌Locals in Ribblesdale, Lancashire, told how children visit the village to play and swim in the water. They jump off a 15ft high concrete jetty into the river below. The riverbank is lined with warning signs stating: “People have drowned here swimming and wading. For your safety don’t let it be you.”But one local said youngsters ignore the warnings - adding: "They jump in from the concrete jetty. It happens every year, we tell them it’s dangerous but they don’t care.‌“I feel so sorry for his family and friends. They must be traumatised. The local children don’t go in the river, they know it’s dangerous. They’ve had it drilled into them.”Flowers left at the scene said: “RIP my bro, forever miss you, never forgotten,” while another bunch said: “How could this happen, you were just a boy having fun with your friends. May you be at peace.”‌Lancashire Police said officers were called just after 2pm on Tuesday following a report of a concern for safety after a boy had gone into the River Ribble. After a large-scale search involving officers from the underwater search unit and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, a body was recovered from the river just before 8pm.They said: “His family are being supported by specially-trained family liaison officers, and our thoughts are very much with his loved ones at this extremely distressing time.”Junior is one of seven children, and two adults, to have drowned in separate open water incidents over the Bank Holiday weekend amid record-breaking temperatures across the UK.‌Deaths from drowning 'an enormous problem'Professor Mike Tipton, chair of the National Water Safety Forum, said deaths from drowning are an “enormous problem” which disproportionately affects younger people, particularly those under 40.He said: “People look to cool off by going into the water. The problem is the air temperature shoots up very quickly. It’s very easy to heat air, but the water temperature takes much longer. In fact, it doesn’t reach its peak until about September.‌“So we’ve got people now who are getting very hot and charging into water that’s still around winter temperatures. So it’s about 13C, and in those temperatures you get very significant physiological responses, particularly the cold shock response, which is a gasp and uncontrollable hyperventilation, which is often a precursor to drowning. About 60% of those that die going into cold water do so in the first minute or so of immersion.”The body of a teenage boy was recovered from Hawley Lake near Blackwater, in Hampshire, on Wednesday after being reported missing the previous day. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police say the family of the missing boy have been notified.Also on Wednesday, a body was found during the search for a 17-year-old boy last seen at a lake in Cheshire. Officers were called to reports of a missing boy last seen in the water at Pickmere Lake, near Northwich.‌Chief Inspector Jamie Lewis said: “This was a young boy who had his entire life ahead of him. At what is an incredibly difficult time, our thoughts remain with the boy’s family, friends and everyone who knew him.”‌Reco 'loved being out with his friends'Reco Puttock, 13, was pronounced dead in hospital after he was pulled from a reservoir at Leadbeater Dam, Halifax, just after 3pm on Monday, West Yorkshire Police said. His mother, Sam Puttock, said: “He loved being out with his friends. That’s what he enjoyed most.”King Cross Park Rugby League Club, in Halifax, said: “There are no words we can say which will make this loss any less painful for his family and friends especially at such a young age.”The body of a Lillianna Tomlinson was recovered from Kingsbury Water Park, just south of Tamworth, Staffordshire, on Monday evening following a police search. Despite the efforts of emergency services, she was pronounced dead at the scene.‌The body of another boy was found at Rother Valley Country Park during the early hours of Tuesday morning, following reports of a missing child seen entering the water but not getting out. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service had launched a specialist search operation shortly before 7pm on Monday.The incidents follow the death of 15-year-old Declan Sawyer whose body was found in a Lincoln lake on Sunday around 10.25pm. Father Carl described him as “a funny and outgoing young man who loved fishing and football,” as he called on families to take care of their children when near water. He said: “Please can all parents, friends and family make their children aware of the dangers surrounding water.”‌Tragic Phil tried to save his little granddaughterA courageous grandfather lost his life attempting to save his nine-year-old granddaughter. Phil Crow, 68, tragically died after entering the water at Tregirls Beach, near Padstow, in Cornwall on Bank Holiday Monday. The heroic man was attempting to rescue Sia Briskham, who found herself in difficulty following an unexpected change in the tide.A 72-year-old woman has died after being pulled from the water at a beach in Pembrokeshire. She was pulled from the sea at West Angle Bay beach, at the mouth of the Milford Haven Estuary, on Sunday. Dyfed-Powys Police received a report regarding concerns for the welfare of a woman at approximately 3.15pm. Despite efforts made by emergency services, the woman sadly passed away.Professor Mike Tipton, chair of the National Water Safety Forum, said deaths from drowning are an “enormous problem” which disproportionately affects younger people, particularly those under 40.‌He said: “People look to cool off by going into the water. The problem is the air temperature shoots up very quickly. It’s very easy to heat air, but the water temperature takes much longer. In fact, it doesn’t reach its peak until about September. So we’ve got people now who are getting very hot and charging into water that’s still around winter temperatures.“So it's about 13C, and in those temperatures you get very significant physiological responses, particularly the cold shock response, which is a gasp and uncontrollable hyperventilation, which is often a precursor to drowning. About 60% of those that die going into cold water do so in the first minute or so of immersion.”‌'We need more swimming lessons, greater access to pools'Kate Rew, author of the Outdoor Swimmers’ Handbook and founder of the Outdoor Swimming Society, believes the biggest step towards reducing deaths is not by telling kids to stay out of the water, but by teaching them how to use it.She said targeted campaigns on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram will ram home a safety message severely lacking in recent years.Kate said she was concerned by statistics showing an alarming increase in drowning among low-income and ethnically diverse children. Research has shown one in four children leave school unable to swim.‌She said: “Firstly, our thoughts are with everyone who has lost a loved one. These tragedies are devastating, and accidents wherever they happen can occur frighteningly quickly.“We see tragic deaths every summer and think one of the biggest steps towards reducing these is helping more children become confident swimmers. People love water. The desire to seek it out in hot weather is natural and is never going to change.“Humans are one of the few mammals who cannot instinctively swim, so for us it is a life skill that needs to be taught. But huge numbers of children are still leaving primary school unable to swim confidently, and the gap is strongly linked to income.‌“Statistics suggest that in the most deprived parts of England, fewer than half of children can swim 25 metres by the end of primary school, compared to around three quarters in the least deprived areas - and, of course, swimming 25 metres in a warm indoor pool is very different from being able to swim the same distance in cold, moving outdoor water.“We need more swimming lessons, greater access to pools, and more opportunities for children and adults to build confidence in water safely. Swimming is one of the most accessible and popular forms of exercise. This is about health, confidence, freedom and joy, as well as safety.”‌She added: “When hot weather arrives, people will always seek out rivers, lakes and the coast. The answer is not telling people to stay away from water, but sharing more information so people understand it and can enjoy it safely.“We'd like to see far more practical water education shared where young people already are - including social media - particularly around cold water shock, currents, tides, jumping, and how to Float to Live. Simple messages save lives.“Cold water can incapacitate even strong swimmers - never jump without knowing depth and hazards below; and if you get into trouble, float first, then control your breathing. People love water. That is never going to change. So our responsibility is to create confident, capable swimmers who understand both the joy and the risks of water.”‌A drowning-prevention charity has demanded schools get open water safety on the curriculum now - as it could be too late by the time lessons start next year.The Royal Life Saving Society fear waiting until September could have serious consequences following the deaths of the teenagers over the Bank Holiday weekend. While education bosses are committed to supporting the plan, the organisation has told them to act fast to prevent further tragedy.It said: “RLSS UK contributed to reaching a significant milestone towards its goal of embedding lifesaving education in classrooms across all nations with the inclusion of water safety education in England’s RHSE curriculum.Article continues below“Whilst a foundation of water safety will be included in England’s school curriculum from September, this vital information needs to be taught now across the UK to prevent tragedies.”