Girl, 15, dies after swimming at beach
A 15-year-old girl who had difficulty swimming on the beach lost her life.
Chiedza Nyanjowa, from Cheshire, was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in a critical condition after swimming at Formby beach on bank holiday on Monday and died in the early hours of Saturday, Merseyside Police said.
At the memorial service, Chiedza’s family said he would be “greatly missed and remembered for his kind spirit.”
There have been at least 14 water-related deaths during recent warm weather. a 19-year-old man who previously died After being rescued from a lake in Nottinghamshire. Meanwhile, Body found in search of man struggling in water On the Norfolk Broads.
Emergency services were called to reports of a safety concern at Formby beach on Albert Road at around 3.30pm last Monday.
Police said members of the public tried to help Chiedza.
His family said they “wanted to express their gratitude to everyone who helped him” and that they were “glad to have people around him to support him. Their support shows that he is loved.”
“This is a difficult time for the family who appreciate any prayers,” they added.
He described Chiedza as “a cheerful person, loved Jesus and going to church.
“She loved cooking, was a giver, and wanted to be a nurse when she grew up so she could give back.”
The report into Chiedza’s death has been forwarded to the Sefton coroner’s office.
Teenagers have died in lakes and rivers across the country, including a 12-year-old boy whose body was found in the River Ribble at Ribchester in Lancashire, and a 17-year-old boy who went missing from Pick Mere lake in Cheshire.
There were also deaths caused by water in Kent, Oxford, Lincoln, Halifax, Rotherham, Warwickshire, Farnborough, Nottinghamshire and Scotland.
Meanwhile, a man in his 60s died in Cornwall and a woman in her 70s died in Wales.
‘This is why swimming in rivers and lakes is so dangerous’
The Royal Life-Saving Society issued a warning following the fatal incidents, saying, “Unfortunately, there is an increase in accidental drownings in hot weather.”
The RLSS warned that despite rising air temperatures, water temperatures remain very cold and cold water shock can make swimming and exiting the water difficult.
The RLSS added that anyone who sees someone in an emergency in the water should call 999, stay out of the water themselves and throw something floating at them, such as a plastic water bottle or football, for them to hold on to.
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