THESE pictures captured the moment young men put their lives in danger by diving into the canal.

A group, mostly in their early 20s, decided to cool off yesterday afternoon in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Blackburn, as temperatures rose to 27 degrees.

But their actions prompted widespread condemnation from canal, rescue and accident bosses who said someone could easily have been killed.

Police said the swimmers were ‘daft’ and warned that the action posed ‘obvious’ dangers.

Blackburn Inspector Abid Khan said: “It is very dangerous. The water isn’t clear and you often can’t see what’s in there, among the many other risks.

“It is daft. No police officer wants to tell a family their loved one has been killed doing something silly.

“I know it might look very enticing but go to a proper pool where there are rescue facilities.”

And a spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: “It is very unsafe and we don’t say that just to take a nanny state stance.

“Going from experience, we have been put in a position where we have to attempt to rescue people from canals but often we only succeed in recovering a body.

“Because the effects of cold water can be so sudden, a rescue is not possible. There is a very real risk of injury and death.”

The group were spotted plunging into the canal from the towpath and lock gates in the Infirmary area, off Bolton Road, at around 3pm yesterday.

They said they lived locally and jumped into the canal whenever it was hot without any problems.

One man, who gave his name as Adam, 22, said: “It’s something we do whenever it’s hot.

“We’ve heard the warnings, but we know what we are doing. People go overboard about health and safety. It’s different if you know what you are doing.

“As long as you take care and don’t do stuff while drunk, it’s fine.”

And Lee Scott, 23, said: “We’ve been doing this for years and never seen anything go wrong. It’s just being careful.”

Lee Grimshaw, 22, added: “You can’t do anything without someone saying it is unsafe.”

Water experts said dangers posed by canals and open waters included colder water than expected which sends swimmers into sudden cramps.

Currents, shallow or very deep water, and hidden objects are also said to be a problem.

David Walker, leisure safety manager at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: "We understand the temptation but, even on a hot day, the water might be a lot colder or deeper than expected.

“RoSPA's advice is to go swimming at properly-supervised sites, such as beaches, lidos or swimming pools."

Annette Simpson, education manager at the Canal and River Trust said: “Although the water may look inviting on a hot summer’s day, any open body of water can pose a hazard as they may have hidden dangers lurking beneath the water.

“They can also be deep and the water quite cold which can quickly cause someone to get into trouble. We are urging young people to stay safe and keep out of the water.”

Nationally, there have been 13 water-related deaths in the UK since the onset of the recent heat wave. The death toll began 14 days ago when Russell O'Neil, 17, of Worcester died in a quarry near his home.

The two latest victims were a 16-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man who died swimming in lakes at King's Lynn Norfolk on Tuesday.

Two years ago, Chorley youngster Dylan Ramsay, 13, drowned while swimming at Hill Top Quarry in Whittle-le-Woods and his mother has worked to raise awareness.

Lancashire-based charity Air Rescue 24 recently launched a campaign, alongside ‘Doing It For Dylan’, to raise funds for an interactive truck to tour schools to warn about the dangers.

A spokesman for United Utilities, which manages reservoirs across East Lancashire said: “The signs at our reservoirs clearly say no swimming because they are just extremely dangerous.

“We have unfortunately had some fatalities over the years, so please, just stay out.”