Child rescued from water after near-drowning incident at Bolton Abbey

The child, aged around 10, got into difficulty after falling from the stepping stones on a day when parents had already been warned that river levels are dangerously high following recent heavy rainfall.

PCSO Ruth Pearson and a colleague were patrolling the Wharfe banks at both Bolton Abbey and Burnsall on Thursday when the 'near-miss' incident occurred.

She Tweeted: "Myself and PCSO Wood have just had another near miss at Bolton Abbey stepping stones. We've had to get the life ring ready to use after a youngster fell and got caught in currents. We are currently with fire service colleagues and Bolton Abbey staff at the location. Do not take stupid risks."

Warning signs on the Bolton Abbey estate advise visitors not to attempt to cross the stepping stones when the river is fast-flowing and overlapping the stones.

Earlier in the day, PCSO Wood was told by several families visiting the river that they had witnessed children having to be rescued by their parents when the inflatables they were playing on were carried away.

Earlier this month, 18-year-old Muhammad Bilab Zeb, from Bradford, drowned while swimming in the Wharfe at Linton Falls. He had recently married and his mother, who was in a coma suffering from Covid-19 at the time of his death, has since also died.

The Wharfe is notorious for its misleading depths, hidden drops, fast currents and submerged rocks and sandbanks. Despite its popularity with swimmers, it can be extremely dangerous, especially after prolonged periods of wet weather.

This article explains why the River Wharfe is so dangerous and lists some of the people who have drowned in it in recent years.A message from the editor

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today.

Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you'll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers.

So, please - if you can - pay for our work. Just £5 per month is the starting point. If you think that which we are trying to achieve is worth more, you can pay us what you think we are worth. By doing so, you will be investing in something that is becoming increasingly rare. Independent journalism that cares less about right and left and more about right and wrong. Journalism you can trust.

Thank you

James Mitchinson