HUNDREDS of bathers are ignoring warnings and risking their lives in canals and reservoirs as temperatures soar during the current heatwave.

Alerts issued by the Health and Safety Executive have gone unheeded as bathers cool down in East Lancashire waterways.

A major campaign by the HSE was launched to coincide with the school holidays.

Last year Blackburn teenager Jonathan Ashebu died after losing consciousness as he swam in Fishmoor Reservoir, Blackburn, with friends.

Now police have joined the campaign and warned bathers to use their common sense or lose their lives. Inspector Richard Cox of Blackburn police said: "Every year we ask people to be sensible and not to swim in the canals and reservoirs because of the obvious dangers. "They are risking serious injury and possibly death because of the state of the water and canals in our region.

"The reservoirs are not designed for swimming and we would ask people to stop.

"Ironically it is adults who are so often seen in the canals. They ought to know better.

"I would urge them to use their common sense and swim in the district's many supervised swimming pools if they want to cool down."

Mark Lenderyou, from the HSE North West, said: "People are hot and naturally want to cool off.

"But lagoons are often fed from underground sources and sudden immersion in cold water can dramatically slow the heart rate, leading to unconsciousness or even death."

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