Boy, 15, becomes latest UK drowning death as toll hits seven following latest record-breaking heatwave

Boy, 15, becomes latest UK drowning death as toll hits seven following latest record-breaking heatwave A 15-year-old boy and a 55-year-old woman died in separate incidents over the weekend - meaning seven people have now died in open water during the recent heatwave A teenage boy became the latest casualty of Britain's drowning epidemic as the death toll for the recent record-breaking heatwave reached seven. Cops issued a desperate plea for people to stay safe in open water after they recovered the body of a 15-year-old boy from Cowbury Reservoir, in Stalybridge, Tameside, following a rescue operation at 6.30pm on Saturday. In a separate incident, a 55-year-old woman died after entering a pool at Sandwell Valley Country Park, West Bromwich, at 4.30pm on Saturday The double tragedy means seven people have died in the space of a week, with people flocking to open water to escape the record-breaking heatwave that has scorched the UK. Speaking after the 15-year-old boy's death, Greater Manchester Police Chief Insp Helen Baxter said: “Saturday's events are nothing short of devastating and my thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the young boy who sadly lost his life in such awful circumstances. "We are confident that there are no suspicious circumstances and that this is such a sad reminder of the dangers of entering open water. We remind the public to please avoid being tempted to cool off in reservoirs, rivers, canals or ponds. We all want to enjoy the warm weather; please make sure you do so in a safe way." Other victims include Brody Leach, whose body was recovered from the River Severn in Shrewsbury on Saturday morning. The 22-year-old was last seen swimming in the river on Friday when he apparently got into trouble. It came after the parents of Hayden Jones-Powell, 13, who died after entering the water at a lake in Syston, Leicestershire, at 1.30pm on Thursday, said they wanted him to be remembered for his "big smile". Police were called to Meynell Lake, off Fosse Way, at 1.30pm, but divers recovered the schoolboy's body from the lake later that day. Meanwhile, officers searching for a missing 15-year-old boy who was last seen in the water at Testwood Lakes near Southampton found a body, Hampshire Police said. They added: "The boy's family have been informed and formal identification has taken place." Essex Police confirmed the death of a 69-year-old man in Clacton. Officers were called to a medical emergency at just after 11am on Friday after reports of a man in difficulty. The force said: "Officers, paramedics, the fire service and coastguard all attended. Sadly, despite colleagues' best efforts, a 69-year-old man died at the scene." A 50-year-old man was pronounced dead at Aberavon beach in Neath Port Talbot, Wales, at about 4.25pm on Wednesday. He needed medical assistance in the water after getting into difficulty while swimming in the sea off the south coast of Wales. The growing number of drownings prompted The Mirror to launch the Save Lives for Sam campaign to help raise awareness of the dangers of water. Samantha Hughes is the National Water Safety Partner at the RNLI. She said: “It’s important to remember that the water is still cold. Entering it unexpectedly can lead to cold water shock, causing a sudden increase in breathing and heart rate, which may trigger panic. “If you find yourself struggling in the water, remember to Float to Live: tilt your head back so your ears are submerged, relax and control your breathing. You may need to gently use your hands to help you stay afloat, and it’s ok if your legs sink—everyone floats differently." Temperatures across the country are forecast to dip significantly and stabilise near the average into next week. It brings to an end a heatwave that broke the UK record for June several times in succession and led to scorching days and uncomfortable nights for many. Heat records were broken on three consecutive days from Wednesday, reaching a provisional peak of 37.3C in Santon Downham in Suffolk on Friday, and Saturday saw a high of 32.3C in the same location. The last Met Office warning for extreme heat finished at 9am on Sunday as the heatwave comes to a close. Temperatures are expected to drop by around 5C or 6C today, producing highs of 25C to 26C on the eastern coast and around the mid-to-low 20Cs elsewhere. Met Office meteorologist Liam Eslick said: "We are starting to see some fresh air come in over the next couple of days." A band of cloud and patchy rain in the north will push the humidity out towards the east on Sunday afternoon, he added. It will be a "bright sunny day for most people and it will actually feel like a typical summer's day. He said: "(It) will feel a lot more comfortable compared to what we saw at the end of last week." Heat and humidity caused thunderstorms to develop which contributed to flight disruption on Saturday. A total of 484 inbound and outbound flights were delayed across Gatwick and Heathrow airports by the evening, according to the FlightAware tracker. Meanwhile, early on Saturday morning, Kent Fire and Rescue Service were responding to three house fires caused by lightning strikes.The heatwave smashed the long-standing record for June heat, which dates back to the summer of 1976, by more than 1C, which is significant given such records were usually broken only by a fraction of a degree in the past. Scientists warned that the heatwave would have been virtually impossible 50 years ago, with human-driven climate change fuelling more intense and frequent extreme heat events. Health chiefs flagged the impact the conditions were having on services this week as they faced significantly more life-threatening emergency calls. Hundreds of schools and nurseries were forced to close and a hosepipe ban was brought in for Kent amid surging demand. Several hospitals declared critical incidents, with University Hospital Southampton forced to cancel a number of planned operations and some outpatient appointments. The heatwave was driven by a "heat-dome" - an area of high pressure that stalls over a region and traps heat - settling over western Europe and bringing extreme conditions across the continent. Temperatures across the country are forecast to dip significantly and stabilise near the average into next week. The Mirror has launched the Save Lives For Sam water safety campaign to tackle the UK's growing drowning crisis. Backed by MPs, Olympic champions, national water safety organisations and bereaved families, the campaign is calling for urgent action to make our waters safer. That includes compulsory water safety lessons in schools, a nationwide public awareness campaign, better lifesaving equipment at high-risk waterways, the introduction of Sam's Law, and a dedicated Minister for Water Safety. Find out more about the campaign and how you can support it here.