Risking their lives

THE warm weather has once again brought the incidence of young people leaping into locks to cool down, yet they are risking their lives.

One lock particularly tempting is Misterton Top Lock on the Chesterfield Canal close to its junction with the Trent at West Stockwith, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Still take the risk

Despite warnings that drowning is responsible for more than 50 deaths of young people a year, they still take the risk, with complaints from those living near the lock in the village of the unruly behaviour at the lock that could easily result in someone loosing their life.

Canal & River Trust Waterway Manager Sean McGinley warns:

"People may see it as just a bit of fun, but canals can present very serious dangers for anyone jumping in. Locks are especially dangerous as they are deep, difficult to get out of and have underwater sluices and mechanisms that can present particular hazards."

Accident waiting to happen

Locals believe there is an accident waiting to happen, with people not only from the village but from afar being attracted to the lock, and jumping in whether it is full or empty.

Yet two young boys drowned in the lock in the past, and locals believe it is only a matter of time before it happens again, as of course it is all unsupervised, the opposite in fact, with people egging on each other to jump.

A spokesman for the Trust tells that notices warning of the dangers will be erected. To which a local added—'fat lot of use they will be'!