Wigan men targeted in new canal safety crackdown following a series of local tragedies

The Royal Life Saving Society is urging them to be careful about going near waterways after a heavy drinking session because it could have fatal consequences.

The Don’t Drink and Drown crusade comes after a number of tragedies involving Wigan men who came to grief in the local canal network following nights out on the town.

Among those who died was Michael Greenall who drowned in the Leeds-Liverpool canal near lock 77 at Rose Bridge after a night out with friends in September 2020.

The 27-year-old became “incapacitated, confused, and disoriented” after drinking around seven pints and taking diazepam tablets – which he was using to treat sleeping problems – before falling into the water while making his way to a friend’s house.

That was less than a month after the death of 22-year-old Matthew Dutton, whose body was found just yards away. Mr Dutton had also been out drinking with friends and had taken ketamine before making his way down the canalside and falling in.

After their inquests, the coroner Timothy Brenand wrote a letter of concern to the Canal and River Trust requesting preventative measures and stated: “Open stretches of water can kill.”

In the new campaign Wigan residents are being urged to make good choices, look after one another and make sure that routes home after a night out are away from the water.

For 2022, the campaign was extended to cover the World Cup tournament, which brings extra cause for concern around water safety.

The Wigan Water Safety Partnership is supporting the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Don’t Drink and Drown campaign which urges people not to walk home near water after they have been drinking. Banners will be put up across the waterways to raise awareness.

Statistics show that on average 80 people lose their lives each year through a substance-related drowning, this is almost a third (32 per cent) of UK annual accidental drowning fatalities, and young men are one of the highest risk groups.

Gill Renshaw, enterprise manager at Canal and River Trust, said: “We want people to enjoy their time out but tragically people die because they’ve entered the water under the influence, sometimes deliberately or more often, completely by accident. Alcohol and drugs can seriously impede your ability to survive in water. If you’ve had a drink, stay away from the water.

“Most people who drown when under the influence, have done so by falling in whilst walking alone near water. It is so easy to be separated from friends during a night out but staying together is the best way to keep yourself and your friends safe. #BeAMate.

“We know that everyone looks forward to enjoying nights out at this time of year, and we’re asking for ‘guardian angels’ to stand up and be counted; if somebody is leaving your house when under the influence then make sure they have a safe route home.”

Don’t Drink and Drown was launched in 2014 following a string of tragic drownings of young people. The campaign has two targeted time frames when alcohol-related drownings have shown to be particularly high.

These are September (at the start of the new university term) and December (during the festive period), which has been extended this year to include the World Cup, with the campaign running from November 21 to December 18.

This year, RLSS UK aims to continue to drive down the rate of alcohol-related fatalities in, what are usually, completely avoidable tragic incidents.

The charity is pushing its #BeAMate message by encouraging people to:

1. Stay safe

2. Plan a safe route away from water

3. Look after one another

For more information and free digital resources on RLSS UK’s Don’t Drink and Drown campaign, visit www.rlss.org.uk.