Youths jumping from the A338 road bridge at Fordingbridge on Monday. YOUTHS in Fordingbridge are once again risking life and limb by hurling themselves off a bridge into the River Avon.

With the recent hot weather, the after-school activity has really taken hold, with teenagers dodging traffic on the A338 in order to climb the crash barrier and launch themselves into the river below.

Children as young as ten have been spotted lined up along the busy roadside, encouraging others to take the plunge.

These scenes come days after a 16-year-old boy drowned in the River Stour, in North Dorset - it is believed after a prank went wrong.

Despite the fears of onlookers, there is little anyone can do to deter these hot weather thrill-seekers.

A spokeswoman for Fording-bridge police said: "Common sense says not to do it, but there is no offence of putting yourself at risk in such a way.

"If we saw them, we would speak to them and tell them to go home, and we would probably speak to the parents as well, but we have no powers to do anything about it."

The drop from the bridge is about 20ft into fast-flowing water, which ranges in depth.

Further downstream on the main bridge, children have also been seen jumping and the risky activity has become an annual event across the Forest. Three years ago, a Fordingbridge teenager broke his ankle after jumping off the bypass bridge.

Fordingbridge district councillor Bob Hale recognised the possible dangers and described the situation as "frustrating".

He said: "There is a limit to what the police and the council can do, although I believe the town council was trying to introduce a bylaw at one stage.

"However, even if they managed it, it would still have to be enforced, and we can't expect the police to be doing something that these children's parents should be doing.

"It is not just the danger of jumping off the bridge. There have been several near misses where children have been darting in and out of traffic to cross from one side of the road to the other.

"Last year, following complaints from local drivers, I walked down to the town bridge and spoke to some of the children and to one parent, who was jumping into the river with his small sons.

"Needless to say, I didn't get a very positive response.

"It really is down to parents to be aware of where their children are and what they're up to, and to make sure they are not putting themselves and other people at unnecessary risk."