CHILDREN in Swindon are being urged to stay safe around water this summer. Last year 400 people drowned in the UK, 41 per cent of whom were children between eight and 10-years-old.

Organisers of the Get Safe for Summer campaign hope to raise awareness of the danger that water poses. A number of organisations are supporting the campaign, which kicked off last month, including the Royal Lifesaving Society and the Royal National Lifeboat Institute.

Val Sumner, of the Royal Lifesaving Society UK, said: "The temptation on a hot summer day is to jump into the sea, a river, or lake, but there are all sorts of dangers. Most people drown within moments of entering the water and usually just a few metres from the bank."