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Teenagers drown at reservoir

22/ 7/2008

TWO teenagers have drowned in a reservoir at a nature reserve.

Lee Flanagan, 17, and Craig Finn, 18, are thought to have become tangled in undergrowth in the water when they went for a swim while fishing.

A walker passing Knott Hill reservoir, in Ashton under Lyne, yesterday afternoon raised the alarm after seeing them go under the water and disappear.

It is understood some of their friends, who were nearby, also went for help, but struggled to reach a telephone because of the remote location. Fire

fighters and police divers were called to the reservoir at 4.30pm, but had trouble finding the teenagers.

About 15 firefighters, including a specialist water incident unit, were involved in the search.

They eventually found the bodies and they were removed from the water at about 7.15pm.

A large area of the nature reserve was cordoned off and the bodies of the teenagers were taken to a nearby farmhouse while the undertaker arrived.

Swimming is banned at the lake and there is a sign close to the water saying: "No swimming; No shooting; No motorcycling. Danger, deep water."

The reservoir is used for angling by the Rhino Fishing Club.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service appealed to youngsters to stay away from open water.

Dangers

He said: "We want to warn people about the dangers of swimming in this kind of place - it may look safe, but there are dangers you might not be able to see and there is no supervision. Please stick to the swimming baths.

"In remote places like this, it can take a long time to get help, and for that help to arrive.

"In some water incidents, we only have a few minutes to save lives."

A police spokesman said: "Inquiries are at a very early stage." Police say they are not treating the incident as suspicious but are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

They added that both families had been informed.

The pair were described as `lovely lads' by John Williams, 65, who runs Roxy Angling Supplies, in Ashton. He said they had been in his shop while on their way to the reservoir to pick up supplies.

"They often came in and were lovely lads. Full of manners. They were really keen anglers and it's an absolute shame what's happened.

"There are hardly any places to go to fish in Tameside and it's wrong. Youngsters end up going to places like this that aren't really suitable. They've probably got bored, gone for a swim and this has happened.

"It's awful - these lads were just going out fishing because they enjoy it."