UPDATED: Chorley reservoir drowning victim is named

8:37am Monday 28th May 2012 in Blackburn

A 15-YEAR-OLD boy has drowned after getting into difficulty while swimming in Chorley.

The teenager, who has been named as Tom Barton, was with five friends at a lodge near Birkacre Lodge, in Yarrow Valley Country Park, when the incident took place.

Many of the teenagers friends gathered at the gates of the country park waiting for news last night.

John Taylor, spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue, said: “We had a report there were five youths and one had gone under the water and his friends were very distressed about it.

“They were stranded on a floating jetty in the middle of the lodge.

“Police, fire and ambulance turned up and the crews went into the water to search but did not find him alive sadly.”

Fire crews from Darwen, which is a water rescue unit, and Preston were also called to assist.

Crew manager Stuart Darby, said the rescue had been very upsetting.

He said: “We were involved in the recovery as well as assisting the police diving unit.

“It was very traumatic.”

Many of the teenagers friends gathered at the gates of the country park waiting for news last night.

The body was recovered at 11.10pm when it was pulled out of the water by the police under-water team.

The boy’s friends were rescued by the Bowland Pennine Mountain RescueTeam.

Comments (12)

8:43am Mon 28 May 12

Am i in yet..? says...

R.I.P.Tom.
R.I.P.Tom. Am i in yet..?

9:30am Mon 28 May 12

useyourhead says...

R.I.P
-
strength and love to his family and friends.
R.I.P - strength and love to his family and friends. useyourhead

9:48am Mon 28 May 12

Elsie C says...

Very sad indeed.
Very sad indeed. Elsie C

12:31pm Mon 28 May 12

katey h says...

very sad, thoughts go out to his family. rip young man.
very sad, thoughts go out to his family. rip young man. katey h

4:46pm Mon 28 May 12

woolywords says...

The sad fact of the matter is that so few people are aware of the risks of swimming in these lodges and have no real appreciation of how quickly someone can get into difficulties.
Water will cool the body 30 times faster than cold air and given that the water temperatures are often in the low double digits, it doesn't take very long before the fittest of us will start to feel the affects.

The hard facts are..
Normal body temperature is of course, is 98.6. Shivering and the sensation of cold can begin when the body temperature lowers to approximately 96.5. Amnesia can begin to set in at approximately 94, unconsciousness at 86 and death at approximately 79 degrees. So going from a lovely warm day into water that is around 50, will rob your body of heat in around 30 minutes immersion. Cooling the body by just 10 degrees can cause real problems to even the best swimmer.

And it was such a lovely day, who could blame them for diving in?

My sincerest condolences to all that knew this lad and it is my earnest hope that this proves to be a truly sad lesson to others of the real dangers of reservoirs and lodges.

Be safe, buy a paddling pool.. they are a lot cheaper than floral tributes.
The sad fact of the matter is that so few people are aware of the risks of swimming in these lodges and have no real appreciation of how quickly someone can get into difficulties. Water will cool the body 30 times faster than cold air and given that the water temperatures are often in the low double digits, it doesn't take very long before the fittest of us will start to feel the affects. The hard facts are.. Normal body temperature is of course, is 98.6. Shivering and the sensation of cold can begin when the body temperature lowers to approximately 96.5. Amnesia can begin to set in at approximately 94, unconsciousness at 86 and death at approximately 79 degrees. So going from a lovely warm day into water that is around 50, will rob your body of heat in around 30 minutes immersion. Cooling the body by just 10 degrees can cause real problems to even the best swimmer. And it was such a lovely day, who could blame them for diving in? My sincerest condolences to all that knew this lad and it is my earnest hope that this proves to be a truly sad lesson to others of the real dangers of reservoirs and lodges. Be safe, buy a paddling pool.. they are a lot cheaper than floral tributes. woolywords

5:12am Tue 29 May 12

jimpy0 says...

He was where he shouldn't have been, doing something he should not have been, why is anyone surprised he paid the ultimate cost. People will always play in or near water.
He was where he shouldn't have been, doing something he should not have been, why is anyone surprised he paid the ultimate cost. People will always play in or near water. jimpy0

8:38am Tue 29 May 12

RupertsReason says...

jimpy0 wrote:
He was where he shouldn't have been, doing something he should not have been, why is anyone surprised he paid the ultimate cost. People will always play in or near water.
Although everyone is entitled to their own opinion, it doesn't necessarily mean they have to be aired, especially at an awful time like this. There would have been nothing wrong with having your opinion and not airing just yet.
I think you're a complete heartless t*rd jimpy0 and could have kept that to myself.
Condolences to Toms family at this sad time. Stay strong.
[quote][p][bold]jimpy0[/bold] wrote: He was where he shouldn't have been, doing something he should not have been, why is anyone surprised he paid the ultimate cost. People will always play in or near water.[/p][/quote]Although everyone is entitled to their own opinion, it doesn't necessarily mean they have to be aired, especially at an awful time like this. There would have been nothing wrong with having your opinion and not airing just yet. I think you're a complete heartless t*rd jimpy0 and could have kept that to myself. Condolences to Toms family at this sad time. Stay strong. RupertsReason

9:21am Tue 29 May 12

everywhere is sh1t says...

jimpy0 wrote:
He was where he shouldn't have been, doing something he should not have been, why is anyone surprised he paid the ultimate cost. People will always play in or near water.
what a complete waste of air you really are,did you never go swimming when you where a kid i know me and all my mates did
rip tom such a waste after all you where only having fun
[quote][p][bold]jimpy0[/bold] wrote: He was where he shouldn't have been, doing something he should not have been, why is anyone surprised he paid the ultimate cost. People will always play in or near water.[/p][/quote]what a complete waste of air you really are,did you never go swimming when you where a kid i know me and all my mates did rip tom such a waste after all you where only having fun everywhere is sh1t

10:08am Tue 29 May 12

LancsLass says...

God bless sweetheart n rest in peace such a tragedy we all know how inviting the cold water is in the heat believe me i used to swim in the lodges and things in my younger days. you only wanted some fun and now your gone so heartbreaking. I send love and prayers to your family and close friends. Take care in the heavens x x
God bless sweetheart n rest in peace such a tragedy we all know how inviting the cold water is in the heat believe me i used to swim in the lodges and things in my younger days. you only wanted some fun and now your gone so heartbreaking. I send love and prayers to your family and close friends. Take care in the heavens x x LancsLass

1:28pm Tue 29 May 12

JPB says...

an old workmate of mine, mitch, died exactly the same way around 12 years ago. as said, they were only having a bit of fun, sad way for someone to go.
an old workmate of mine, mitch, died exactly the same way around 12 years ago. as said, they were only having a bit of fun, sad way for someone to go. JPB

7:46pm Tue 29 May 12

craighayward says...

RIP little man my thoughts are with matty and his family for there loss...
RIP little man my thoughts are with matty and his family for there loss... craighayward

8:19pm Wed 30 May 12

katypri says...

kids having fun not out robbing and mugging have a heart, i am 63 and used to swim in the canal how sad is that but we were kids didnt think of disease and danger
kids having fun not out robbing and mugging have a heart, i am 63 and used to swim in the canal how sad is that but we were kids didnt think of disease and danger katypri

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