A PIONEERING new DVD warning young people of the dangers of swimming in reservoirs and open water has been launched by Community safety bosses in the Northern Yorkshire Dales.

Chairman of Community Safety Partnership, Rosemary Taylor,
is pictured with the films stars (left to right): Jack Sadler,
Adam Wood, Becky Taylor, Leonie Bleasdale and Chris Andrade

'Dying to be Cool' was officially launched by the Hambleton Community Safety Partnership earlier this week. Its production brought together representatives of the emergency services, councils, safety partnerships and housing associations from across North Yorkshire and Cleveland.

The film tells the fictional story of a group of friends who head for Denton Reservoir for a day in the sun - a day which turns to tragedy when one of them 'drowns' in the cold reservoir water. Adam was just like many of the visitors to open waterways across North Yorkshire - he wanted to cool off on a hot summer's day and thought the water looked inviting. But little did he know that the temperature in the water rarely gets above 10c and his body would soon shut down because of the cold.

Members of all the emergency services joined Yorkshire Water to take part in the filming which was staged at Cod Beck Reservoir, near Osmotherley in May - a reservoir that has been the scene of two drownings in the last two years.

A group of former Bedale High School pupils and a member of Thirsk White Horse Swim Team acted out the story.

The film will now be used as an educational tool to show young people just how dangerous it is to swim in these areas of open water.

Already posters and flyers sending out the message 'cold water kills' are appearing across the district. The film will be shown through schools, youth groups and swim teams over the coming months.

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