A MOTHER has been left ‘fuming’ with the government’s response to her petition to increase curriculum content about swimming in open water.

Rebecca Ramsey, from Chorley, lost her son Dylan, 13, when he drowned at Hill Top Quarry, Whittle-le-Woods, in 2011.

Since then Miss Ramsey has been campaigning and teaching about the dangers of unsanctioned open water swimming.

Her parliament.uk petition has over 15,000 signatures, which prompted a response from government that Miss Ramsey described as ‘extremely frustrating’.

She said: “I’m asking for increased water safety, cold water shock and riptides to be covered on the national curriculum as part of swimming lessons.

“The reason I’m asking for those three things specifically is that cold water shock is the biggest killer in open water and I believe that the first time we introduce our children to open water is at the beach - so it’s really good if they’re educated on riptides too.

“As we’ve reached 10,000 signatures, we’ve now received a reply from the government and I’m disappointed to say the least.”

In its response, the Department for Education expresses its condolences but says that ‘government has no plans to review current curriculum expectations for water safety’.

It also points to accessible documents from Swim England that touch on cold water shock and recognising hazards, and that these ‘can be used by primary schools to support swimming and safety’.

Miss Ramsey added: “This week alone six people have died in open water, three of them teenagers. How can they be so inconsiderate and fail to see the importance of this?

“Somebody has just said to me that government are faceless and heartless, and it’s so true. All I can do now is fight hard to get 100,000 signatures and hopefully get it debated in parliament.

“Even then there’s no guarantees, I feel like the last three months with this petition have been a waste."

To sign visit petition.parliament.uk/petitions/576563