Concerns about lake safety after teenager's death

Specialist teams searched the lake on the edge of Cambridge last week

People living near private lakes where a boy died last week have said previous warnings about safety concerns have not been addressed.

A 16-year-old, believed to be from Essex, got into difficulty at Burnside Lakes in the Cherry Hinton area of Cambridge on 12 August, and his body was recovered the following day.

Sue Wells, chair of Friends of Cherry Hinton Brook, which looks after areas close to the lakes, said warnings were "not taken seriously" and it was time to take action to prevent more deaths.

Asked about security measures at the site, Rob Dryden, the Cambridge City Council member for the area, said: "We've been trying for years to do things... but they're getting round it."

The boy went missing in the lake last Monday

Ms Wells said: "We've had a lot of engagement with councillors and police about this over the years. People haven't been taking it seriously."

She said visiting the lakes had become a "hot bank-holiday thing to do – it's advertised on social media and people come from all over the place".

"Ultimately, I think if we can get the security sorted it could be a very good nature reserve in Cambridge, and we could have regulated opening under supervision for school groups and their teachers."

She said the council should take a stronger stance.

Referring to the recent tragedy, Ms Wells said: "It should never have come to this, but I think it might just make a difference.

"And if it doesn't, it will be just such a waste of that poor teenager's life."

She added: "Local people are absolutely united on the idea that we need to address this."

A specialist underwater team from Nottinghamshire helped with the search

Mr Dryden, the Labour councillor for Cherry Hinton, said the issue had been discussed over the years but was proving to be an ongoing challenge.

He said the lakes area had three owners – the council, a university college and a private developer.

Mr Dryden said "high metal fencing had been put up but people come in with cutting tools to cut through it".

He added: "We've been trying for years to do things... but they're getting round it."

Social media posts had attracted people from as far away as Hunstanton, Norfolk, Mr Dryden said, and on hot evenings "there have been hundreds of people there".

He said opening the area officially could make it safer.

"It's very deep and cold but if it's opened up and looked after properly it would make it better," he said.

"The lakes aren't going to go away, are they? Something's got to be done with it."