WITH the recent warm weather set to continue, the sister of a young boy who drowned in the River Arrow in Redditch last year, is warning people about the dangers of unlifeguarded open water.

Richard Fellows, known as Porky, aged 15, was swimming in the river with two friends when he got into difficulties.

His sister, Chantelle Aston, said: “With the weather reaching soaring temperatures, I know kids and young adults will be looking for ways to enjoy the heat.

“I would just ask them to think twice before going into open water and think what happened to Porky.

“He was a strong swimmer and it only took seconds for him to get into difficulty."

The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), based in Broom, a drowning prevention charity, has appealed for people to avoid a repeat of last summer’s tragedies.

Many people lost their lives as figures released earlier this month, from the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF), a partner of RLSA, revealed that the peak summer months of July and August witnessed the highest number of deaths in 2014.

Mike Dunn, RLSS UK’s director of Volunteer and Community Education, said: “Last year saw a tragic amount of preventable deaths as people flocked to open water sites not suitable for swimming.

“These sites included rivers, quarries, lakes and reservoirs – all of which have many dangers including very cold water, currents, obstacles and uneven depths. They look so inviting but can be deadly.

This latest warning follows two deaths on June 27 where a 32-year-old man who drowned the Lake District’s Lake Windermere and 42-year-old Jason North who died in the water at Three Cliffs Bay, Swansea, after entering the water because he thought his children were in danger.