Owen Jenkins: Drowned boy's mum makes beauty spot safety plea

Nicola Jenkins has made the plea following the death of her son in 2017

A mum whose son died saving the lives of two girls in open water has issued a safety warning to young people and their parents.

Nicola Jenkins' 12-year-old son Owen died five years ago after going into Nottingham's Beeston Weir to help two girls who were in trouble in the water.

Mrs Jenkins has backed warnings from the police and fire service over swimming at Holme Pierrepont.

Young people had been seen entering the water at the beauty spot, they said.

Owen Jenkins was swept away by the current after lifting a girl out of Beeston Weir on 10 July 2017.

Mrs Jenkins urged young people and their parents to listen to the advice of emergency services and avoid the heartbreak her family had been through.

She said: "Parents who drop their children off here and in other places are putting their children in danger.

"They may think it is safe if young people are attending in groups, but they need to think very carefully."

Owen Jenkins, 12, died while trying to rescue a girl from a weir

Police said almost half of accidental drownings happened in the warmer months and often involved people who made a spur-of-the-moment decision to enter the water.

Dangers posed by open water included very cold temperatures, even in summer months, as well as strong underwater currents and unexpected water depths, they said.

Insp Rob Lawton, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "It is really important that people stay away from open water as we don't want families to suffer the devastation of losing a loved one.

"Open water may look tempting on a hot day, but it is often bitterly, surprisingly cold.

"This alone can lead people to experience medical emergencies or cause them to cramp up and immediately get into difficulties."

Mrs Jenkins added: "These places are not supervised and that is probably why young people think they are so much fun.

"But it is not just about having fun, it is about being safe and staying alive, ultimately."