Country park issues safety plea after tragedy at Bawsey

Officials of a country park have stressed the importance of staying out of the water after the tragic death of a man at the weekend.

Seven years after a 41-year-old man and a boy of 16 died while swimming at Bawsey Pits, the community has again been left in shock by a water-related death.

Emergency crews were called to the area shortly after 11.30am on Saturday, following reports that a man had got into difficulty in the water.

The body of the man, aged in his 20s, was recovered from the water and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Stephen Bacon, who bought the site in 2015, has highlighted how safety signage has “greatly increased” around the park.

Officials have sought to regularly update the park’s social media with educational content on the dangers of the water, while flyers have also been distributed.

The safety signs are pictorial so that they are clear for visitors of all nationalities, a statement from the owners said.

And the warden, park staff and catering vendors have all recently received basic training with Norfolk Fire and Rescue services.

The warden patrols the site daily and advises people to stay out of the water, and refreshment vendors are supplied with life rings and throw ropes for an emergency.

The statement said: “We have created and improved access routes within the park for emergency vehicles and installed a slipway for the easy launch of rescue boats.”

It added: “The loss of this young man’s life is a tragedy which we hope with all our hearts will never be repeated.

“We remain committed to improving the park and promoting its safe usage so that it can remain a beautiful natural site for local people to use safely and enjoy for many years to come, but we need our visitors to help us.

“We reiterate our plea for visitors to abide by the park rules and please stay out of the water so that no future tragedies occur.”

Officials also praised emergency services for “working tirelessly” to deal with the awful situation.

Enquiries are continuing to establish the exact circumstances leading up to the man’s death.

Supt Malcolm Cooke, of Norfolk Police, said: “Colleagues from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service and the East of England Ambulance Service assisted officers in the search.

“Without wanting to prejudge what has happened here I would urge people to take the utmost care around water and to be aware of hidden dangers such as fast flowing currents, underwater obstacles and weeds.”