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Teenager dies swimming in Leeds river on hottest day of the year

'Bodies of water may look safe, but can hide dangers such as hidden currents, hazardous objects, pollution and cold water shock,' police warn following spate of drownings

Lucy Pasha-Robinson
Wednesday 27 June 2018 17:22 BST
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YaTH Marine Unit recovered the body of a teenager following nighttime search efforts
YaTH Marine Unit recovered the body of a teenager following nighttime search efforts (YaTH Marine Unit/Twitter)

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A 17-year-old boy has died after swimming in a Yorkshire river on the hottest day of the year.

The teenager, who has not been named, disappeared while in the River Aire on Tuesday evening.

Fire and rescue crews trawled the river in Leeds at the spot where the boy was last seen for over 90 minutes but did not find anyone in distress.

Water rescue teams began their search at 6.45pm following the boy's disappearance. His body was recovered at 1.30am on Wednesday.

"Police attended the scene alongside West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service. At around 1.30am this morning (Wednesday, 27 June) a body was recovered from the water. Enquiries are ongoing," West Yorkshire police said in a statement.

It comes a day after a man was found dead in a lake in Surrey.

Diving crews pulled the unnamed 31-year-old's body from the bottom of Mercers Lake in Nutfield at 6.30pm on Monday.

Surrey police warned people who might be tempted by the hot weather to avoid swimming in open water.

"Bodies of water may look safe, but can hide dangers such as hidden currents, hazardous objects, pollution and cold water shock, which affects our ability to swim and reach safety if experiencing difficulties," the force said in a statement. "It can also be difficult to gauge water depth - you could find yourself in unexpectedly deep water or injure yourself jumping into shallow water."

Meanwhile, a search for a 13-year-old boy, who went missing at Westport Lake in Stoke-on-Trent, has now entered its third day.

Ryan Evans disappeared while swimming with friends on Monday.

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