Tesco paddleboard: Bereaved family say all boards need quick release leashes

Emma Powell died just hours after buying a paddleboard from Tesco near Llandudno, Conwy county

The family of a woman who died while paddleboarding has said all paddleboard need quick release leashes.

Emma Powell, 24, died after becoming trapped under the water while paddleboarding on the River Conwy estuary last July.

Tesco, who sold Emma the board, has said it will now attach a safety sticker to all its paddleboards.

Emma's brother-in-law Mike Tasker said Tesco's response was "somewhat good", but pushed for further change.

"I think more needs to be done. The ankle leash Emma had on that night supplied with the board was simply the cause of our beloved Emma's passing."

He said he will push for more brands to use "quick release waist leashes", which he said if Emma had been using "she would still have been here, fact".

"If we can prevent this from happening in the future, we will do everything we can in our power to prevent this," he added.

Emma Powell died just hours after buying a paddleboard from Tesco near Llandudno, Conwy county

A coroner at the inquest into Emma's death, in December, raised concerns over paddleboard safety, including the use of ankle leashes and retailers' responsibilities.

She died just hours after she and her cousin, Amber Powell, had purchased a paddleboard each from a Tesco store near Llandudno.

The inquest heard that neither of the pair were wearing life jackets and, while the water was choppy, the weather was not bad.

But after Emma's board crashed into the side of a jetty the 24-year-old became trapped underneath the water.

The sticker that Tesco will attach to all its stand-up paddleboards, created by British Canoeing, will show the correct ways to wear a leash in different paddling conditions.

A QR code on the sticker will also link to a webpage offering further safety advice.

British Canoeing, which has been promoting the provision of paddleboard safety advice by retailers since the rise in popularity of the activity, said the move by Tesco was a "crucial step" and it now expects other major supermarkets to follow suit.

Chief executive of British Canoeing, Ashley Metcalfe, said: "Provision of safety information and resources by retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers at the point of sale is key to raising awareness of safety among new and novice paddlers.

"Tragically over the past couple of years there have been several fatalities involving new and novice paddlers."

• Four paddleboarder deaths were avoidable - report

• Coroner to write to Tesco after paddleboard death

• Man drowned while paddleboarding, inquest told

Mr Tasker added: "The passing of Emma will never leave us, nobody should have to suffer in the way she did along with her family and friends.

"It's affected us deeply and will continue on forever. We miss her a lot.

"God bless you, Emma."

• X-RAY: The team are back, fighting for your rights!

• THE BESTEST BITS: A little bit more of what you like from Wynne Evans