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Hidden risks for swimmers at bridge-jumping spot

Crispin Rolfein Beverley
BBC A warning sign with red symbols banning jumping, diving and swimming is fixed to a metal bridge railing above a canal. In the background, a narrow waterway runs between rows of red-brick houses and greenery. The view looks down from the bridge, emphasising the height above the water and the safety message in the foreground.BBC
Swimmers have been seen jumping off the bridge over Beverley Beck

Serious hidden risks, including a sharp stake, traffic cones and steel debris, have been recovered from water at a bridge-jumping hotspot.

Emergency services, including police divers, have been searching Beverley Beck in East Yorkshire, where young people are often seen swimming and jumping from a road bridge during warm weather.

It follows a spate of deaths nationally in open water during the May heatwave.

Sgt Paul Jackson, of the Humberside Police underwater search unit, said: "People think they're going into a swimming pool-like place and it's really not."

Divers retrieved the stake from under the bridge, just a few feet from the surface.

"Anybody jumping potentially could have hit that – it could have been quite disastrous," Jackson said.

A blue uniformed fire service officer stands beside a waterside safety station, which includes instructions for using an emergency throw line. The equipment panel features symbols showing how to call 999 and rescue someone from the water. The man has short brown hair, and a Humberisde Fire & Rescue insignia on his shirt.
Sam Horton says the fire service can face intense pressure during water rescues

A specialist team of 10 divers work to educate people about the dangers of swimming in places such as the beck.

"We do try to speak to people at these locations and advise them of the dangers and other issues such as sewage," Jackson added.

Sam Horton, a station manager for Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, said crews responding to water incidents often faced intense pressure.

"They're very hectic. You're turning up to a very traumatic scene. There might be very distressed onlookers.

"Quite often these incidents are in remote areas, so time is of the essence.

"You're under immediate pressure to act and do everything you can."

A woman with swept back hair, and wearing a necklace, stands on a quiet residential street near a canal. She is smiling and wearig a brown top with a zipper. Behind her are red-brick houses, a pavement and a green hedge.
Maddigan Tempest-Fuller regularly sees people jumping into the beck

Horton said locations such as the beck could appear especially attractive during warm weather.

"The big problem is you can't see what lies beneath," he added.

Maddigan Tempest-Fuller, who lives near the beck, said it was common to see people jumping from the bridge during warmer months, when the waterway was also busy with paddleboarders and kayakers.

"Usually in the summertime kids are jumping off the bridge and we've always been concerned."

"They do go quite deep and we've always been a bit like, is it safe enough?"

A hand points towards a sharp wooden stake which divers have pulled out of the water. Alongside it on the bank is a collection of debris. The items include a rusted wheel, traffic cones, and a scooter's handlebars.
Debris found beneath the bridge, including a sharp stake

The fire service advises people who get into difficulty in the water to try to remain calm.

"One of our big messages is 'float to live'," Horton said.

"Tilt your head back, spread your arms and legs – that will help you float. Take a breath, then try to shout for help or make your way to safety."

He also urged people to tell others where they were going.

"Let someone know where you're going and when you're expecting to be home."

A diver in full black diving gear and breathing apparatus emerges from a canal and grips a metal ladder at the water’s edge. Bright coloured cables run from the equipment as another figure stands above, assisting from the bank.
A diver surfaces after retrieving dangerous debris

Emergency services are urging people to think carefully before entering open water.

Jackson added: "We always hope for a quiet summer. Unfortunately that's not always the case."

The RNLI and the RLSS offer advice on what to do if you find yourself struggling in water.

The RLSS says people who get into trouble or feel overwhelmed in the water should "float to live":

  • Fight your instinct to thrash around.
  • Turn on your back.
  • Lean back.
  • Get your breathing back under control.
  • Now, think about getting out.

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