Ulley Reservoir death prompts open water swim warning

A man's body was recovered from Ulley Reservoir after reports of him getting into difficulty, police say

People have been warned of the serious danger posed by swimming in open water after the death of a man at a South Yorkshire reservoir.

A major search was launched at Ulley Reservoir in Rotherham on Wednesday after reports a man had got into difficulty in the water.

Underwater search teams later recovered his body from the water.

Ch Insp Mark Goddard, of South Yorkshire Police, said people needed to be aware of the risks.

"Yesterday's incident has left us all shaken, and my heart goes out to the man's family and loved ones - a truly tragic loss of life," he said.

No formal identification has yet taken place, the force said.

In May this year, Samuel Laycock, 16, drowned at the reservoir.

Rescuers in South Yorkshire also recovered a man's body from a lake in Crookes Valley Park, Sheffield, in July. His was one of six deaths reported in a single weekend.

South Yorkshire Fire Service area manager, Simon Dunker, said: "Unfortunately we have seen far too many people lose their lives in open water this year, and we stand with our police colleagues in urging people to be extremely careful.

"Freezing temperatures, hidden currents and debris underneath the water can all pose grave dangers to those who aren't used to [it]," he added.

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