Girl, 15, who died in Tameside village river named

The River Etherow runs close to Hodge Lane, where the rescue operation was launched

A teenager who died in a river near a village has been named.

Abbie Walton, 15, got into difficulties in the River Etherow in the village of Broadbottom, in Tameside, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

Her school, Copley Academy in Stalybridge, said it was offering specialist support to its students.

Emergency services were called to the scene near Hodge Lane at about 19:50 BST on Wednesday but medical teams could not save her.

In a tweet, Copley Academy said: "We have been made aware of the tragic news that one of our students lost their life last night.

"Copley would like to offer our support and also the support of a specialist team."

A large rescue operation was launched near Hodge Lane, a small road which runs close to the river with police assisted by ambulance crews and the fire and rescue service.

Det Supt Rebecca Boyce said Abbie's death was "nothing short of devastating" and her deepest sympathies were with her loved ones.

It comes amid warnings from the RNLI and other safety groups about the dangers of open water during the summer months.