'Capable' swimmer, 15, drowns in lake – as dad reveals others are 'still going in'

'Capable' swimmer, 15, drowns in lake – as dad reveals others are 'still going in' George Cuckoo, 15, drowned after getting into difficulty in a muddy lake at a disused quarry in Swanscombe, Kent, which his dad says children are still going to A 15-year-old boy drowned in a muddy lake in Kent during a heatwave - and his dad says other people's sons are still swimming there. George Cuckoo went swimming with two friends in hot weather in May when he got into difficulty in the middle of the 65m-long lake at a disused quarry in Swanscombe. He went under the water at around 2.30pm on May 27. Kent coroner Venessa Holt told an inquest today that George was a “capable” but not strong swimmer who had been to the lake on the private property, referred to as Blue Lake Bamber Pit, on at least two other occasions. “His friends tried to assist him but he went under the water, they attempted to find him but owing to the muddy water they could not find him,” the coroner said. “The exact circumstances of how he came to the centre of the lake is unclear.” They called emergency services after he had been underwater for seven minutes. His body was recovered several hours later. George was then taken to Darent Valley Hospital and checked by police for any signs of third-party involvement or suspicious circumstances. Police confirmed no evidence of that was found. Kent Police Detective Inspector Leighton Prior told the inquest that the boys had been there around five minutes before going in the water, attempting to swim across to a rope swing. George was swimming slightly in front of the other boys. Accounts were taken from the two friends at the scene but formal statements were not taken afterwards to avoid traumatising them further, the detective said. George’s sister and father said in court that there were differing reports from the police and ambulance service and, without further statements from the two boys, they have been left thinking “what did actually happen?” A statement read in court from South East Coast Ambulance Service said the boys were playing around the shore and had swam, before George was seen going back into the water and tried to swim to the other side. He “shouted in distress and couldn’t get any further as friends jumped to try to get to him”, the inquest heard. The statement, which the coroner noted was “very different” from the police account, said George took his trainers and t-shirt off but had his socks and shorts on. George’s father, Simon Cuckoo said: “We lost our son, there’s two boys with him, there’s no clear statements about where they were and how it really happened, we just want to know. Even sitting here today it’s not clear what happened.” He recalled his son asking him to go to the lake prior to the incident and he had told him no, adding: “I told him what the outcome would be, don’t let me come up to the hospital.” The medical cause of death for George, born in Gravesend, was drowning. The inquest heard that the lake was on private property, referred to as Ebbsfleet in the hearing, but Mr Prior said he was not sure who owned the property. He believed it was a popular swimming spot in summer but it was not known to police before this incident. The muddy lake is fenced off but the fence is “insecure”, he told the coroner. The coroner recorded George’s death as an accident and is considering writing a prevention of future death report over the security of the lake. She requested for solicitor Anna Burgess, attending the hearing on behalf of the property, to write to her in seven days over what measures are in place such as warning signs. “I’d like reassurance the lake is secure and whether (there’s) any life saving equipment,” she said. Mr Cuckoo told the hearing he knows friends whose “sons are still going in the lake” and added: “Even though they know what’s gone on they’re still going over there." 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.