York family of teen found in River Ouse call for more CCTV

Leah Bedford was described as a "bubbly, headstrong, very intelligent girl"

The family of a teenager whose body was found in a York river have called for more safety measures on the waterway.

Leah Bedford, 16, went missing in September and her body was recovered from the River Ouse eight days later.

Leah's family want more CCTV, lighting and fencing to be installed along the riverbank to help people to be found faster if they fall in the water.

Family friend Jayne Reynolds said the river could "never be 100% safe but let's make it safer".

Ms Reynolds described Leah as a "bubbly, headstrong, very intelligent girl".

She was last seen near Lendal Bridge in the city and Ms Reynolds said if CCTV coverage of the riverside was more extensive, her family could have known how she came to be in the water.

Jayne Reynolds set up a petition to call for more safety measures

Ms Reynolds told BBC Radio York: "The river has just taken so many lives, so many children.

"We can't stop the children from hanging around with their mates down by the river, so make it safer for them. Lighting, CCTV, fencing, anything to stop them from falling in, or going in drunk."

She has set up a petition to call for more safety measures, which has been signed by more than 1,000 people.

David Wilson said improved lighting could help emergency responders find people in the river

York Rescue Boat said it had been called out more than 35 times so far in 2023 to help people who have gone into the river.

David Wilson from the organisation said: "Better lighting along this stretch of the Ouse would be good, it lets people see the edge during the night."

He said lighting enables other people to see if there is someone in difficulty on the river.

"It also helps emergency responders, like ourselves when we attend an incident, to actually see what's going on. It would definitely help to save lives."

Campaigners have called for more lighting, CCTV and fencing along the River Ouse in York

York Water Safety Group, a body made up of representatives from the police, fire service, council and other organisations, said a number of safety measures had been put in place since 2014.

A spokesperson said this included lifebelts, ladders, and fencing in particularly dangerous areas.

They said: "Education work has also been undertaken with schools and students at the universities.

"The group continues to meet and look at opportunities to improve river and water safety."

Ten people have accidentally drowned in York since 2014 and 23 people have drowned across North Yorkshire in that time, according to the National Water Safety Forum.

Across the Yorkshire and Humber region there have been 139 accidental drownings since 2014.