Dangers of swimming Shropshire’s rivers and pools highlighted after incident
Police in Shropshire today renewed warnings about the dangers of swimming in rivers and pools following an incident near Much Wenlock.
A concerned member of the public contacted West Mercia Police just after 5pm last night after spotting four young men swimming in the old Lea quarry pool.
The men were spoken to by a police officer who pointed out the dangers. They left the pool and got into their car.
A police spokesperson said: “The member of the public was right to be concerned for their welfare. A deep, extremely cold disused quarry pool is no place to go for a dip to cool off – it is extremely dangerous.”
The police warning follows a similar incident a week ago when a woman got into difficulties while swimming in the River Severn at Shrewsbury.
“Rivers and pools might look tempting during hot weather but they are simply not safe,” said the spokesperson. There are often hidden dangers – currents, weed and other obstacles beneath the surface and extremely cold temperatures which can bring on cramp.”
