Open water swimming: Tips on how to do it safely

A lifeguard has urged people to take care and think carefully before swimming in a river or lake.

The water is often much cooler than anticipated, even during warm weather, putting swimmers at risk of getting into difficulty.

Jackie Brandon from Falcon Open Water Swimming, based at Castle Ashby in Northamptonshire, has given us some top tips on how to stay safe when taking a swim with Mother Nature.

She said: "Open water swimming is really good for mental and physical health, it's amazing but just do it very safely."