SWIMMING TRAGEDY 

Body found after desperate search for boy, 12, who went missing in river – as five other teens die in heatwave tragedies

A BODY has been pulled from a river after a 12-year-old went missing while swimming with pals as temperatures reached a record-breaking 35C.

The lad and his friends are understood to have got into trouble while in the River Ribble in Ribchester, Lancashire, yesterday.

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Fire crews and underwater units were called to the River Ribble yesterdayCredit: Ben Lack
 

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Tragically, emergency crews recovered a body from the waterCredit: Ben Lack
Emergency services were scrambled to the scene after being alerted to concern for the welfare of a child.

A frantic search operation was launched with fire crews and underwater units combing the river in a desperate bid to locate the youngster.

Tragically, a body was recovered from the water at around 8pm last night, cops said.

Formal identification is yet to take place but police say they believe it is the body of the missing 12-year-old.

The youngster’s heartbroken family are being supported by specially trained officers.

A Lancashire Police force statement said: “The boy, aged 12, had got into difficulty while swimming with friends in the river.

“A large-scale search involving officers from Lancashire Police’s underwater search unit and colleagues from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service was launched, with colleagues from North-West Ambulance Service providing support.

“Very sadly, a body was recovered from the river around 7.50pm.

“While formal identification has not yet taken place, we believe it to be the body of the missing boy.

“His family are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers, and our thoughts are very much with his loved ones at this extremely distressing time.”

It comes after five teenagers passed away in separate tragedies after getting into difficulty in water at popular beauty spots over the Bank Holiday.

A 13-year-old boy, two girls and a boy aged 15, and another teenage boy were pulled from water over the past few days amid rising temperatures.

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Reco Puttock was rushed to hospital after he was pulled from Leadbeater Dam in Halifax, West YorkshireCredit: Ben Lack
 

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Abbie Carmody-Pepper, 15, vanished at Burrow Beach in Howth, Dublin, with friends after entering the waterCredit: rip.ie
Until Monday the highest temperature in May was 32.8C, but that record was broken two days in a row as Brits basked in a heatwave.

It was a heartbreaking weekend for many though, as several teens died after being pulled from bodies of water.

The body of Declan Sawyer, 15, was found by police on May 24 after they conducted an extensive search of Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln.

Abbie Carmody-Pepper, 15, vanished at Burrow Beach in Howth, Dublin, with friends after entering the water.

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The body of Declan Sawyer, 15, was found by police on Sunday after they conducted an extensive search of Swanholme Lakes in LincolnCredit: Facebook
 

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Reco Puttock tragically died in hospital after he was pulled from the waterCredit: UKNIP
Emergency services also raced to Kingsbury Water Park, Warwickshire, just after 6pm on Monday following concerns for the welfare of a girl in the water.

Sadly, the 16-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene after her body was recovered at around 7.20pm, according to Warwickshire Police.

A 13-year-old boy was rushed to hospital after being pulled from Leadbeater Dam in Halifax, West Yorkshire, yesterday afternoon.

The teen, who has since been named as Reco Puttock, tragically passed away in hospital, despite the best efforts of medics.

His mum – Sam Puttock – paid a heartfelt tribute to her lad yesterday, saying he was close to his three siblings, “especially with his big sister”.

She told the Telegraph and Argus: “He loved being out with his friends. That’s what he enjoyed most. I don’t know what to feel, I think I’ve just cried and cried since about 7am this morning… I don’t think I can bring myself to any more at the minute.”

In another tragedy, emergency services rushed to Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, at around 7pm on Monday, following reports of a missing boy.

Tragically, a body was later recovered from the water as cops searched for the missing lad.

Sadly, several other deaths have been recorded over the weekend as Brits packed beaches and bodies of water amid the scorching heatwave.

Emergency services were scrambled to Hastings, East Sussex, on Sunday after they were called to a “medical incident”.

Sussex Police has now confirmed a man sadly died after the incident on Warrior Square in St Leonards.

The next day, emergency services were scrambled to Barmouth Beach in North Wales on Monday following reports of a man spotted in the water around 3pm.

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A huge search operation was carried out at the River Ribble yesterdayCredit: Ben Lack
 

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Flowers on the bridge over The River Tame in Kingsbury, Warwickshire, where a teenage girl diedCredit: SWNS
A 34-year-old man was sadly pronounced dead at the scene – his family and the coroner have been made aware of the tragedy.

Police have since arrested a man, 24, on suspicion of murder, who remains in custody.

Emergency services were also scrambled to a beach in Cornwall on Monday at around 3.50pm.

A man went into cardiac arrest in the sea at Tregirls Beach in Padstow after he entered the water to try and save two family members, police said.

The family members were rescued by members of the public, but the local man, who was in his 60s, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

The warm weather also saw chaos unfold at several UK beaches as violence broke out in Bournemouth and Brighton.

Swathes of Brits flocked to the two coastal towns over the weekend with cops cordoning off part of the promenade in Brighton, East Sussex, following the Bank Holiday chaos.

A teenager was reportedly stabbed after a large fight allegedly broke out on the packed seafront – he was rushed to hospital, where his injuries were deemed to be “superficial”, police confirmed.

And, in Bournemouth, Police said officers were assaulted in the fray, as footage showed a huge crowd gathered on the sandy shore Tuesday evening.

Dorset Police said yesterday it was dealing with disorder involving a large number of people on Bournemouth beach in the area of Undercliff Drive.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/39227707/boy-missing-swimming-found-dead-heatwave-tragedies/