Water firm issues advice for staying safe at reservoirs as body of teenager, 16, is tragically pulled from water

It comes as a major search operation began on Tuesday as masses of emergency services raced to Netherton Reservoir amid reports of a 16-year-old boy who went missing while swimming in it.

Tragically, the body of a teenage boy was recovered from the water shortly before 11.30am today.

Water firm Severn Trent has released advice on how to 'stay safe' at reservoirs as residents across the region experience warmer weather and time spent outdoors near them increases.

In the advice and referring to their own reservoirs, it said that it might be tempting to venture into the open waters but the reservoirs can contain hidden dangers including strong currents, freezing temperatures and hidden objects under the surface.

Donna Marshall, visitor engagement manager at Severn Trent, said: “While it may be tempting to some to take a swim in a reservoir to cool off, they’re operational sites. Even on a hot day they’re likely to be extremely cold which can lead to even strong swimmers finding themselves in trouble.

“We take the safety of all our visitors extremely seriously and want them to remain conscious of the dangers that can result from entering the water. We don’t have lifeguards on site or safe swimming areas, so we’d ask visitors to not take that risk.”

It went on to list dangers that are carried when enjoying the water, including the water being colder than it looks and cold water shock can affect a person's muscles and cause them to gasp for air which can lead to drowning.

As well as that, reservoirs are operational sites, with machinery under the water which can create strong currents which pose a risk to even strong swimmers.

It also said reservoirs have steep sides and can become very deep very quickly, the water may contain unseen natural hazards such as weeds, rocks or blue-green algae which can be toxic and not all sites are staffed and they may be out in the countryside, many miles from help if someone gets into trouble.

The water company has a number of reservoirs visitor sites in the Midlands.

They are Carsington, Linacre Water and Upper Derwent Valley and Foremark Reservoir, all in Derbyshire, Thornton Water in Leicestershire, Staunton Harold Water on the Leicestershire/Derbyshire border, Draycote and Shustoke Water in Warwickshire, Tittesworth Water in Staffordshire and Trimpley Water in Worcestershire.

The sobering advice became more important than ever for locals across the Black Country in the wake of the teenager's death in Netherton.

And it comes just two months after tragedy struck at the same reservoir when a woman's body was recovered from the water on May 28.