Councillor who swam in reservoir warns of its dangers following June tragedy
A county councillor who swam in a Staffordshire reservoir during the Ironman 70.3 event has warned would-be dippers of the dangers of its waters.
In late June Chasewater Country Park was a scene of tragedy when Carl Storer, 21, died after attempting to save a nine-year-old girl from the water.
But just weeks later families are still having to be warned not to swim in the reservoir unsupervised – despite there being signs in place – a full meeting of Staffordshire County Council heard on Thursday.
Councillor Susan Woodward said she hoped fellow members would join her in sending their sympathies to the family of the late Mr Storer.
“There are ‘no swimming’ signs but people think it doesn’t apply to them”, she added.
“Our former colleague Eric Drinkwater is a lover of Chasewater, visited there yesterday and had cause to warn two families not to swim in the water. They didn’t particularly appreciate the advice that he was giving them – one there with an inflatable.
“Chasewater has a deep shelf that dips down very suddenly about eight feet from the edge. There are undercurrents that can drag people down very quickly. The water is very dark.”
Councillor Alan White took part in this year’s Ironman 70.3 event, which included a supervised 1.2m lap of the reservoir. He wore a wetsuit for the swim but said the water still felt very cold.
The cold shock reaction to a sudden dip in temperature can cause responses in the human body including involuntary gasping for breath, hyperventilating and increased heart rate – and can lead to heart attack or drowning.
Councillor White said: “It’s not the shelf that does the damage, it’s the temperature of the water.
“As you get in the water it’s take your breath away cold. As I put my face in the water to start doing front crawl I gasped.
As you jump in the water and it takes your breath away you’re under the water and your reflex is to breathe in. It’s over at that point – it’s that quick
“So I implore people do not go into Chasewater -it looks inviting but I can tell you it is very, very cold. It is sufficiently cold to take your breath away in a fatal fashion.”
In his leader’s statement Councillor Philip Atkins said: “With school pupils now enjoying the summer break, we want to make sure everyone does so safely.
“The death of Carl Storer, who died as he heroically went to the aid of a young girl in Chasewater, is a tragic reminder of just how dangerous swimming in open waters can be.
“I would make a plea to every Staffordshire parent this summer to make sure their children know the dangers and stay away from reservoirs and quarries.
“While they may look inviting, the no swimming signs are there for a good reason as even the strongest swimmer can soon get into difficulties in the very cold water.”
