VIDEO: Drowning victim's mum unveils Ulley's new water safety feature

Rebecca Ramsay’s son Dylan (13) — an experienced and competitive swimmer — got into difficulty in a disused quarry with friends.

She said: “He had been swimming in competition in the Lake District just a few weeks before he died. He wasn’t just a good swimmer, he was an excellent swimmer. 

“He had been swimming since he was eight months old. But he never made it home that night. We were told that cold water shock had literally shut down his body.

“I still can’t quite believe it. Not a day goes by when I don’t think about Dylan and not a second goes by when I’m not actively trying to prevent this happening to someone else.”

The £620 throwline, paid for by ward councillors, is kept locked to deter vandals. Callers to 999 quote the throwline number on the board, which tells the operator the exact location of the emergency, and are given the code.

Read more in this week's Advertiser