Warning over night out river walks in Shrewsbury

Icy and snow conditions have made conditions more dangerous

Firefighters have warned residents not to walk along stretches of the River Severn at night after a number of deaths due to drowning.

Guy Williams, of Shropshire Fire Service, said banks and icy footways were "inherently dangerous" for people walking home from Shrewsbury.

He said the walk posed a "significant risk" for those who had been drinking.

Police said 23 people had drowned in the river in six years and some of the deaths had been alcohol-related.

West Mercia Police added that most of the fatalities had been in the Shrewsbury area.

Mr Williams, station manager at Shrewsbury Fire Station, said: "If you have been consuming alcohol then it's going to impair your judgement so you are putting yourself at significant risk."

Concerns over the number of deaths in the River Severn has led police, local churches and a security firm to set up a new pastor scheme in Shrewsbury town centre.

Twelve volunteers will look after vulnerable people and make sure they are reunited with friends and get home safely.