Owen Jenkins: Mum of drowned boy launches water safety animation

In the film Dog discovers three different hidden dangers in the water, but is saved every time by Duck and Fish

A mother whose 12-year-old son drowned in a river has launched a new animation film aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of open water.

Owen Jenkins died trying to save the lives of two girls who got into difficulty in Nottinghamshire's Beeston Weir in July 2017.

Since his death, his mother Nicola has campaigned about water safety among young people.

She hopes the child-friendly animation will alert them to the risks of water.

Owen, who died at the age of 12 while trying to rescue two girls from a weir, has been described as a "hero"

Owen was swept away by the current after lifting a friend out of Beeston Weir, a section of the River Trent, and trying to save another on 10 July 2017.

Ms Jenkins said Owen had been playing with a group of friends when two of them "decided to go into the water and got into difficulty very quickly".

"Owen first went to get the girl that was in the most danger, that was the closest and managed to get her back to safety," she said.

"When he went in for the second girl, the current dragged him under and sadly Owen drowned.

"My son was definitely a hero."

Ms Jenkins founded the Open Water Education Network (OWEN) water safety programme in her son's memory and installed a throw line at the weir.

Owen's mother Nicola Jenkins has been campaigning about water safety among young people since her son's death

Now she has helped develop the animation Dog, Duck and Fish, aimed at young children.

"It's just made me go really cold thinking about the animation because I do know that Owen would have loved this," she said.

"It was drawn by children at the primary school Owen went to."

Ms Jenkins said the "amazing animation", which was produced in the East Midlands, was created from the children's drawings.

The animation talks about how to self rescue by lying on your back with your arms out like a star

In the film Dog jumps into the water and gets into trouble, but Fish helps him be safe.

"If the children can learn something from this, it would be to how to self rescue," Ms Jenkins said.

"It talks about lying on your back, arms out like a star. That's so they can keep themselves safe if ever they fall into water."

Sophie Johnson-Hill, from Sojo Animation, added: "Dog discovers three different hidden dangers.

"The first is water currents, the second is water reeds and the third is cold water shock. And every time Dog is saved by Duck and Fish."

The animation is due to be screened at a special event at the Arc Cinema, in Beeston, later in the year. It is also hoped the film will be used in lessons in schools.

Ms Jenkins said Owen, who played for Nottingham Casuals RFC, was "passionate" about rugby

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