Tragedy as boy, 16, dies after swimming in lake as UK sees hottest day of year

Tributes have been paid to a 16-year-old boy who died after getting into while swimming with friends in a lake.

Emergency services were called to Colwick Country Park near Colwick, Nottinghamshire when the boy on Wednesday afternoon. His body was discovered less than three hours later and now his mates who were swimming with him have paid their respects to the youngster.

The mercury hit 25C in and around Nottingham on Wednesday, and rose further on Thursday - - and, with , fire chiefs are now calling for urgent national action to prevent drownings. Tom Staples, from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the incident at Colwick was a "stark reminder" of the hidden dangers in open water.

One boy who was with the tragic teenager at the country park said: "He was my best friend. I have been crying all night and haven't been able to sleep. I wish we hadn't come here... Someone shouted, 'He's drowning'. He was trying to keep his head above water. I felt him arms around my waist but then he lost his strength and slipped down. That was the last I saw of him - his head going under."

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It is understood the victim was a college student originally from America who came to the UK at the age of 15. His tragedy is all too common. It is estimated 1,400 people have died in accidental drowning incidents across just five years.

Paying tribute to the teenager in Colwick, another friend said: "He was a lovely guy. He cared about a lot of people, He was the life of the party and it is so sad that he has gone so soon. He loved basketball, he loved music, and he loved his friends. He saw me as his older sister. He will be missed by so many."

Flowers have been left and balloons have been tied to a pontoon close to where the teenager entered the water in the country park, just east of Nottingham itself.

Chief Inspector David Mather of said: "Emergency services have sadly recovered the body of a teenage boy from the lake, despite the best efforts of rescue teams. This is a tragic discovery and our thoughts are with this boy's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

"While work is now underway to understand how the boy came into difficulty, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight this case as a reminder of the devastating consequences of entering open water - regardless of whether people do so deliberately or inadvertently.

"As in this tragic case, open water can have hidden dangers that can prove fatal and I would urge anyone who spends any time on or near open water to use this case as a devastating reminder of that - particularly during the recent warm we have been experiencing."