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Tragedy as body found in search for girl, 15, who got into difficulty swimming in reservoir
She was swimming with her friends before getting into difficulty
A body has been found in the search for a teenage girl who got into difficulty while swimming in a reservoir with her friends.
The group were swimming in Carr Mill Dam, in St Helens, at around 12.30pm on Thursday, June 1st.
Emergency services were called after reports of concerns for safety of a 15-year-old girl who had ‘got in distress’.
After hours of searching the water, Merseyside Police confirmed they had found a body.
In a statement at the scene, Chief Inspector for Merseyside Police for St Helens, Paul Holden said: “Officers entered the water in an attempt to find the teenage girl.
“They were joined by officers from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, the search culminated in the recovery of the girl’s body.”
The girl’s next of kin have been informed and specialist liaison officers will work closely with the family to support them during this difficult time.
He continued: “When the schools return for the summer term our schools officers will work with St Helens Council to ensure that we are able to educate young people about the dangers of water.
“We know how tempting it can be to cool down in the water on a hot summers day, but we want to ensure that young people are equipped with the right knowledge to keep them safe around water.”
Chief inspector Holden ended the press conference with an appeal for witnesses, and anyone who was in the area at the time, to come forward and contact Merseyside Police — which can be done on their website or by calling 101.