A 15-year-old boy was recovered from a reservoir in Tameside while a major search continues for another teenager in Clifton Country Park
Cowbury Reservoir in Carrbrook(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
A boy has died with another missing in two separate water incidents at beauty spots in Greater Manchester over the weekend.
The body of a 15 year-old boy was tragically recovered from Cowbury Reservoir in Stalybridge, Tameside, after a major emergency services operation. And in Salford, a second teenage boy was reported as missing with a huge water search still underway at the popular Clifton Country Park.
The tragedies bring the number of open water deaths reported in the UK during the recent heatwave to seven. Police and fire service bosses have again stressed the dangers of swimming in, or entering, open water – warning strong currents, low water temperatures and debris beneath the surface can all prove fatal.
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Greater Manchester Police Chief Inspector Helen Baxter said: “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, but please make sure you do so in a safe way.”
The force said emergency services were called to reports of a boy getting into difficulty in the water at Cowbury Reservoir at around 6.30pm on Saturday night.
His body was sadly later recovered. Police confirmed formal identification had taken place and the boy’s family had been made aware, however he has not yet been named.
Chief Inspector Baxter said the news was ‘devastating’, and added: “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.”
Police and other emergency services were also scrambled to Clifton Country Park at just before 5pm on Saturday (June 27) after reports of a boy ‘getting into difficulty’ in a stretch of the River Irwell there. It’s understood the area concerned is close to a stretch of sand near the bridge crossing the Irwell.
According to reports, a group of teenagers were at the water at the time. A teenage girl is understood to have been pulled out of the water by friends. She’s thought to be unhurt, but traumatised. Reports also suggested another boy who went into the water managed to get himself out during the incident.
‘No swimming’ signs are up on the bridge’s railings and on fencing around the land leading down to the water at the beauty spot. Specialist police divers, the Tactical Aid Unit and a drone were used in a major search operation throughout Sunday.
The frantic search, which Greater Manchester Police confirmed was ongoing as of 4pm on Sunday, follows a previous tragic death in 2020 of 14 year-old Adam Kay.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “At around 4.49pm on Saturday 27 June 2026, we were called to reports of boy getting into difficulty in the River Irwell at Clifton Country Park.
“Emergency services and specialist search teams remain at the scene. The incident is ongoing.”
The latest water-related deaths come just weeks after the UK witnessed another heatwave, in May, which saw a tragic 19 people lose their lives in open water. Many of them were children.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, meanwhile, urged people ‘to have an honest conversation with the young people in their lives’ about open water safety. Area Manager Steve Jordan said: “The risks are real, and the consequences can be fatal.”
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He continued: “The thoughts of everyone in our service are with the family and friends affected by separate incidents in our waterways. These are upsetting reminders of how quickly situations can become dangerous around open water.
“Even on warm days, the water is cold enough to cause cold water shock – which can make you inhale water and affect your movement – if you jump in, fall in or enter the water suddenly. And there could be dangerous objects and strong currents beneath the surface.
“I am urging everyone to have an honest conversation with the young people in their lives. Please remind them that jumping into and swimming in our rivers, reservoirs, lakes, canals and quays can be extremely dangerous, particularly if they are not a strong swimmer.
“If they get into trouble themselves, they should ‘float to live’ – by tilting their head back, moving their hands and legs, and relaxing to control their breathing.
“And if they are with someone who gets into difficulty, they should not enter the water themselves. We know how tempting it can be to cool off with a swim during hot weather. But we cannot stress enough the dangers you need to consider.”
