Tragedy as teenager dies after getting into difficulty in a Wigan quarry

Emergency services responded to reports that the youngster had entered the water at Dawber Delph in Appley Bridge and got into trouble at around 9.40pm on Saturday July 9.

Following a search of the water, the body of a 16-year-old boy was recovered and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: “His next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this time.

“The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be passed to the coroner in due course.”

Potential swimmers have previously been warned by police that the temperature change of jumping into cold water when the body is hot can trigger a gasp response, causing someone to drown within seconds of going for a dip.

The area has had its share of tragedies over the years. In 2015 13-year-old Marsh Green schoolboy Miracle Godson died after getting into difficulty while swimming in the East Quarry.

Craig Croston also died there at the age of 17 in1999.

People in the local area have been campaigning for a number of years for the closure of East Quarry.

The Environment Agency had received an application to remove water from the spot back in 2020 however there has been no updates.

However, the plan to empty the water from the quarry attracted staunch opposition from some residents.

They fear removing the water will simply replace one problem at the quarry with others, with the dried-out site becoming a magnet for activities such as off-road biking.