Mock rescue at Bath

THE Avon Fire and Rescue carried out a mock rescue in the Avon at Bath, the purpose being to show towpath walkers the risk of drinking alcohol, then either walking home along the river or jumping into the water.

This was obviously in response to the furore of the student falling into the river after excessive drinking as reported in narrowboatworld. The fire crews then handed out warning leaflets and spoke to people around Pulteney Bridge warning of the dangers of heavy drinking and water.

Did not think

Group manager Denis McCann admitted however that though people understood the dangers when sober, they did not think about it once they had been drinking, advising:

"The aim of our campaign is trying to get people to think about that before they go out and plan a safe route home. People are not aware of the dangers of the river. While it is a fantastic amenity for the Bath and north east Somerset area, people need to understand the dangers."

Think about risks

Peter Cornall, Head of Leisure Safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, confirmed:

"Trips and slips near the waterside cause a large number of drownings in the country each year. We would encourage people to think about the risks and to plan their route home following a night out."

Over the past two years there have been three drowning in the river at Bath, the result of the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol.