HYNDBURN Council is warning young people to ensure they stay safe around reservoirs this summer.

Research from United Utilities has revealed a third of people in the North West would consider swimming in a reservoir to cool down.

National statistics reveal 300 people in the UK lost their lives in 2016 due to accidental drowning.

Therefore, Hyndburn Council is urging teens and their parents to stay safe this summer, by staying out of the reservoir.

Cllr Clare Cleary said: “Reservoirs are about the worst possible place to cool down this summer.

“They have hidden machinery, unpredictable currents and freezing water and even the strongest swimmers can quickly find themselves in difficulty.

Hyndburn is home to the Rishton reservoir, Hag and Hameldon reservoirs in Accrington and at the Jackhouse Nature Reserve in Oswaldtwistle.