A body has been pulled from a river in the hunt for a 12-year-old boy – after four other young people lost their lives in a spate of heatwave tragedies.
Tuesday saw the hottest day in May on record as temperatures reached 35.1C at Kew Gardens in London.
While thousands of Brits flocked to beaches and popular swimming spots over the long weekend, six people lost their lives after getting into trouble in the water.
Police have now confirmed a body was recovered from the River Ribble in Lancashire this evening – believed to be that of a missing 12-year-old boy who got into difficulty while swimming with friends.
One man, in his 60s, also suffered a ‘cardiac arrest in the sea’ after heroically trying to help two relatives who got into difficulty in the water at Tregirls Beach, near Padstow, at around 3.50pm on Monday.
The family members were brought to safety by members of the public, before the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Four teenagers also died in separate water-related incidents in the UK over the weekend. The deaths of three boys and a girl were confirmed by police forces in Lincolnshire, West and South Yorkshire, as well as Warwickshire.
Reco Puttock, 13, died in hospital after being pulled from the water at a popular swimming spot in Halifax, West Yorkshire, at around 3.20pm on Monday.
The teenager was rushed to hospital but sadly died despite the efforts of paramedics.
Just hours later, the body of a girl, believed to be 16, was recovered from a lake at a country park in Warwickshire.
Reco Puttock was rushed to hospital after being pulled from Leadbeater Dam in Halifax
The deaths came a day after 15-year-old Declan Sawyer drowned at Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln
Abbie Carmody-Pepper, 15, vanished at Burrow Beach in a separate incident outside the UK in Howth, Dublin, with friends after entering the water
South Yorkshire Police also responded to reports that a teenage boy had gone into the lake at Rother Valley County Park in Rotherham and had not re-emerged. Emergency services recovered his body in the early hours of this morning.
It came a day after 15-year-old Declan Sawyer drowned at Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln at around 2.30pm on Sunday.
In a separate incident, outside the UK, 15-year-old Abbie Carmody-Pepper vanished at Burrow Beach in Howth, Dublin, after entering the water with friends.
Her body was pulled out on Sunday evening following an extensive search operation.
Abbie’s friend Aoife has since organised a GoFundMe page to raise funds to support her family with funeral costs.
The parents of Reco, who died after entering the water in Halifax, have paid tribute to their son, describing him as close to his three sisters and ‘especially with his big sister’.
His mother, Sam Puttock, told the Telegraph and Argus: ‘He loved being out with his friends. That’s what he enjoyed most.
‘I don’t know what to feel, I think I’ve just cried and cried since about 7am this morning… I don’t think I can bring myself to any more at the minute.’
Tributes also poured in for Reco on social media – with many reading ‘RIP Reco, forever 13’.
Local Natalie Smith, 36, said: ‘The first thing I knew something was wrong was when I heard the sirens.
‘Then the police helicopter, the fire engines, and the ambulances appeared.
‘Then a few hours later I could see the ambulance crew walking along the bank carrying a stretcher.
‘When it is a hot day people come here to walk, swim and picnic. It was very busy on Monday with people coming to paddle or swim.
‘Still, you never expect something like this to happen. It is tragic.’
A body has been pulled from the water after a young boy went missing when he went swimming in a river that runs through Ribchester
A major emergency response was called to Leadbeater Dam after reports of a swimmer in difficulty
Declan’s father called his son a ‘darling boy’ who loved to spend his time playing football and going fishing
Meanwhile Declan Sawyer’s father, Carl, warned other parents to educate their children on the dangers relating to bodies of water while issuing a touching tribute to his son.
Carl described the 15-year-old as ‘very much loved by his friends and family, and will be missed dearly by many’.
‘With his tragic and unexpected passing on Sunday at Swanholme Lakes, we would like to raise awareness about children playing near any rivers or lakes in the hot weather,’ he said.
‘Please can all parents, friends and family make their children aware of the dangers surrounding water.’
The 16-year-old girl’s body was recovered by specialist police teams in Warwickshire at around 7.20pm.
Witnesses said the youngster had been with a group who were jumping from a bridge before tragedy struck.
Her father was ‘frantically’ seen searching the riverbank by onlookers, who said he entered the body of water in a bid to find his child.
Floral tributes were laid at the scene for the victim, named only as Lil.
Speaking at the scene, Chief Inspector Ben Hembry, North Warwickshire Area Commander, said: ‘We were called at around 6pm to reports of youths in the water.
‘One was in particular difficulty. When we arrived it was identified a female teenager had gone missing underwater.
‘A multi-agency response of police, ambulance and fire all attended as well as a range of support from the park to do an extensive search.
‘I believe she was a local girl and this is an area frequented by young people in hot weather.
‘We are desperate to get the message across for people to stay out of open bodies of water.’
When asked about youths jumping off the bridge, he added: ‘Across open water where there is the opportunity for young people to do this these practices do take place.
‘And I believe that is part of what took place here on Monday.’
A family member at the scene said: ‘We don’t know exactly what happened yet.
‘There was some people seen jumping off the bridge but she wasn’t.
‘There was a young boy her age who jumped in to try and save her at the time. He’s the unsung hero, please let the police just do their job as speculation doesn’t help.
‘She wasn’t able to swim so she was never going to jump off a bridge into the water.
‘All an officer told me is that “I know it’s of limited comfort but she didn’t suffer, it was instant” so there has been an incident.’
A man carries a sun lounger at the beach in Brighton, East Sussex
People are seen soaking up the sun while sitting on Jubilee Beach in Southend on Monday
Sunbathers gather early on at Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth, Cornwall yesterday
A woman shields herself from the sun outside the Bank of England in the City of London yesterday
The third teenager was also pulled from a lake in South Yorkshire at around 6.50pm.
The teenage boy had entered the lake at Rother Valley County Park and did not re-emerge.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Yorkshire Ambulance Service and police officers recovered his body in the early hours of this morning.
The force said: ‘Whilst formal identification is yet to take place, the boy’s family has been informed and is being supported by officers.’
Separately, concern has been raised after a man went missing near a lake in South Wales.
Stephen Faulkner, 66, was last seen walking near the water at Glyncornel Lake in Tonypandy, South Wales as temperatures soared.
His family raised the alarm after he had not been seen since Sunday – and are appealing for help to find him.
Police said helicopters, drones and specialist CSI dogs have been carrying out searches at the beauty spot.
Mr Faulkner is described as having a stocky build with tattoos on both arms.
He was wearing blue jeans, a blue t-shirt with a black gilet and brown trainers at the time he went missing.
And in Lancashire, police launched a search for a boy who got into difficulty while swimming in a river in the Ribble Valley.
A force spokeswoman said: ‘We were called at just after 2pm on Tuesday to a concern for the welfare of a child who had gone into the river at Ribchester.
‘The child, a boy, had got into difficulty while swimming with friends.’
Police say they have now recovered a body from the water which they believe to be that of the boy.
It has been confirmed that Tuesday was the hottest day in May on record, with temperatures reaching 35.1C at Kew Gardens.
Other extremes saw 22mm of rain in Sutton Bonington and 14.9 hours of sunshine in Aberpoth.
Meanwhile temperatures dipped to their lowest point in Dundreggan at 5.5C.
The record surpassed the one set on Monday, when temperatures soared to 34.8C in London, according to the Met Office.
The Met Office described the sweltering heat as ‘exceptional in the UK even in mid-summer, let alone in May’.
And the mercury only rose further over the course of Tuesday to an unprecedented 36C amid warnings about the dangers of swimming in such weather.
On Tuesday morning, the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms across the Midlands between 3pm and 10pm, advising those from Wakefield down to Bath to watch out for ‘low likelihood, medium impact’ conditions.
The forecaster said: ‘Whilst many areas will miss them and remain hot and sunny, isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and into the evening.
‘These could bring frequent lightning, large hail, gusty winds and the potential for 30mm of rain in less than an hour.’
Holidaymakers filled the beach in Lyme Regis, Dorset, in the scorching heat on bank holiday Monday
A man tells his dog to go fetch at water fountains in Battersea Park, south-west London
Tributes are left on a bridge over the River Tame in Kingsbury, Warwickshire for a teenage girl who died after being pulled from the waters on Bank Holiday Monday
People crammed onto packed Tube services this morning amid a record-breaking heatwave
Sunbathers relax in the heat on Bournemouth beach, Dorset, in the second day of record-high temperatures
Experts at the UK Health Security Agency (HSA) extended an amber health alert for much of the country into Thursday evening, warning that there could be deaths among the elderly and vulnerable.
It comes as lifeguard rescues more than doubled last year, according to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
Ashley Jones, Head of Water Safety & Education at Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), said: ‘We’re urging the public to choose lifeguarded locations wherever possible, where safety measures and supervision are in place.
‘If you are spending time near water with children, always supervise them closely, keep them within arm’s reach, and consider dressing them in brightly coloured swimwear to improve visibility.
‘Open water environments are very different from controlled swimming areas. There may be hidden hazards beneath the surface, strong currents, and colder temperatures that can seriously affect your ability to swim. It’s vital to respect your limits, avoid swimming alone, and talk to your family about water safety before you visit.
‘If you see someone in trouble, don’t be tempted to enter the water to rescue them. Instead, call 999, encourage them to float on their back, and throw something that floats to assist them. Taking simple precautions can help prevent tragedies and ensure everyone stays safe while enjoying the water during warmer weather.’
Elsewhere, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service warned people about the dangers of entering open water as the weather continues to warm up.
‘The weather is warming up and you might be tempted to cool off in water, but danger could be lurking under the surface,’ they said.
‘Even on warm days, the water can still be very cold and cold water shock is highly dangerous.
‘We experience an increase in call-outs to water-related incidents in the summer months. Please help us to keep you safe and avoid entering bodies of water.’
Train companies on Tuesday came under fire for blaming ‘severe weather ‘ for cancelling services.
A number of services were cancelled due to the heat while on Monday passengers were forced off a train in Oxfordshire due to a faulty air conditioning system.
Staff handed out water bottles as the train from London Marylebone to Stourbridge Junction, West Midlands, was emptied at Banbury.
A video from one of the stricken carriages shows passengers asking ‘what’s going on?’ as they were told they would need to leave before their destinations.
National Rail said the railway network could be hampered by the ‘unusually warm’ temperatures. Excessive heat can cause overhead power lines to sag and lines to buckle, it said, notwithstanding the risk of trackside wildfires.
Sagging power lines run the risk of being damaged if trains run at full speed. Many newer power lines have ‘auto-tension’ systems that can pull cables back into place – but older routes are not equipped with these, forcing trains to slow down.
SWR said trains running on its network may be cancelled or delayed by up to 30 minutes until the end of Tuesday, affecting services running from London Waterloo to parts of Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset.
Elizabeth Line services in the capital have also been slowed down due to ‘high track temperatures’; some services running from London Liverpool Street to Gidea Park have been cancelled for Tuesday afternoon due to the additional traffic caused by the speed restrictions.
But the decision to can services due to the heat sparked derision among passengers on social media. One wrote: ‘Services cancelled because of hot weather? How do they manage to run trains in Spain? Clown country.’
