The warning comes after police confirmed that the body of a teenage boy had been recovered from Salford Quays on Saturday 16 July, after emergency services were called to reports of a person getting into difficulty in the water at around 6:15pm.
GMP explained that emergency service colleagues from GMFRS and the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) attended the scene, and the body was sadly located in the water later that evening, was recovered by specialist partners overnight.
Although formal identification has not yet taken place, GMP has stated that the body is believed to be that of a 16-year-old boy.
The boy was last seen struggling in the water after swimming with friends.
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GMP has confirmed that the boy’s family are continuing to be kept updated, and are being supported by specially-trained officers at what it has called an “extremely distressing time”.
Enquiries are currently ongoing, but GMP said detectives are “confident” at this moment in time that there aren’t any suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident, and a file is currently being prepared for the coroner.
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Our thoughts at this awful time are with the boy's family who are being supported by our officers in #Salford.
Please remember to avoid temptation to cool off in open water.
We all want to enjoy the warm weather; do so safely. Think of your family; look out for your friends. https://t.co/Dt4YrybCIk
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) July 17, 2022
“Yesterday evening’s events are nothing short of devastating and my thoughts are with the friends and family of the young boy who lost his life in such awful circumstances,” said Detective Inspector Joanne Johnston, from GMP’s Swinton CID.
“We are doing all we can to support the boy’s family at this incredibly difficult time, and we are focused on ensuring they get the answers they deserve as to how this tragedy occurred.”
GMP is now joining its fellow emergency services and authorities in urging the public to “avoid being tempted to cool off in reservoirs, rivers, canals or ponds”.
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“This is such a sad reminder of the dangers of entering open water, whatever the weather,” Ms Johnston added.
“We all want to enjoy the warm weather – but please make sure you do so in a safe way.”
Firefighters from Salford’s GMFRS division were also at Salford Quays on Saturday to speak to members of the public about staying safe in warmer weather, and took to Twitter to remind people: “Never be tempted to cool off by swimming in open water, or encourage your mates to jump into reservoirs, rivers, canals, ponds, or any other open water.”
Our thoughts are with family & friends of the teen who drowned in Salford Quays this weekend. Open water has dangers even for good swimmers. Don't enter reservoirs, rivers, canals or ponds unless it's part of an organised activity. Please enjoy the weather safely. pic.twitter.com/Fn4ZTjzpqK
— Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) July 17, 2022
Reflecting on the situation as a whole, and raising awareness of the dangers of open water swimming, Area Manager and Head of Prevention at GMFRS, Billy Fenwick, said: “Unfortunately we see tragic incidents of accidental drownings when the weather is warmer, as people attempt to cool off in open water.
“We are urging people to never be tempted to jump into any open water or swim in open water where it is not an organised event.
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“It may be warm outside, but the water is not.
“Cold Water Shock can kill even strong swimmers and there is also the risk of dangers lurking beneath the surface which may cause drowning.”
The fire service also said that banners have been put up in locations of accidental drownings across Greater Manchester to both pay tribute to those who’ve died, and remind people to not enter the water.
GMFRS officers have also been visiting schools to talk to young people about staying safe around water.
Parklife pumps more than £155,000 back into Greater Manchester community projects
Danny Jones
Parklife is once again proving why it’s such an important event for Greater Manchester, not just in terms of music and culture, but through the money it pumps back into the community through grassroots projects.
The annual music festival at Heaton Park raises significant funds for local initiatives with each edition via the official Parklife Community Fund.
Partnered with the Manchester, Bury, and Rochdale councils, the finances generated through those who attend not only Parklife but also other concerts held at the outdoor venue, such as the recent Oasis shows, help local groups that make a positive, tangible difference in their neighbourhoods.
This year alone, the total includes £55,000 raised from guest list donations by festival attendees, as well as a further £100k generated from other events held in Heaton Park, making 2025 one of, if not the biggest, years for donations to date.
Distributed by the City Council and the local authorities in Bury and Rochdale throughout the respective boroughs, the aim is not only to give back but to enhance local life, through everything from important youth programmes to community wellbeing and improvement schemes.
Launched back in 2017, the festival fund is approaching nearly half a million pounds raised on behalf of local causes, strengthening its connection with the nearby communities surrounding its host site.
The region’s vast and stunning green space is a huge tourist attraction in itself, meaning literal grassroots causes like the woodland management group are vital to maintaining that beauty and status.
Other projects include an astronomy group, as well as fitness drives like ‘RockFit’ (seen above), which now meets at Heaton Park regularly to promote exercise for both physical and mental health.
It’s also worth noting that the fund covers surrounding areas like Higher Blackley and Crumpsall; Sedgley, Holyrood, St Mary’s and even South Middleton.
You can see more examples of the charitable community work in action down below.
Credit: Supplied
Sam Kandel, founder of Parklife Festival, said of the fund: “Parklife is proud to call Heaton Park home, and it’s really important to us that the festival has a lasting, positive impact on the local community.
“The Community Fund is our way of saying thank you to residents and supporting the brilliant grassroots projects that make Manchester, Bury, and Rochdale such special places to live.”
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon (Exec Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods) added: “Parklife brings people from Manchester and beyond to our wonderful Heaton Park, and it is right that the communities living close by benefit from the event through reinvestment in local initiatives that will leave a legacy for all.
“The Parklife community fund means that local communities choose what’s important to them and they have the opportunity to bid for funds to invest in projects that enhance local amenities, strengthen community connections and wellbeing for the benefit of everyone.”
Those looking to benefit from the fund can apply online now and you can find out more information by contacting the relevant councils’ neighbourhood pages.
Work finally begins on Greater Manchester’s new ‘innovation hub’ in Atom Valley creating 20,000 jobs
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… work has finally begun on the first major development in Atom Valley.
If you’re not familiar with Atom Valley, this new project is set to be a unique innovation ‘cluster’ – plans of which were approved by local leaders all the way back in summer 2022 – with the potential to create up to 20,000 new jobs in Greater Manchester once it’s complete.
Greater Manchester wants Atom Valley to become a ‘springboard’ for new and emerging companies and researchers, giving them the support and the opportunities they need to trial and commercialise their innovations right here in our region.
The new development which ground has now been broken on is a Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC) – which is set to become a thriving hub of innovation.
Today is a big day for GM.
We break ground on a new research centre at Atom Valley – our emerging world-class cluster in advanced materials and manufacturing.
Here, start-ups and emerging companies will be able to pioneer new technologies and scale up their ambitions, all while creating jobs and driving growth across the region in the process.
Located next to the Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale, it will offer 30,000 sq ft of new laboratory space, workshops, and design studios, as well as a lecture theatre, meeting rooms, office space, and flexible workspace for start-ups.
With the ‘right’ support, local leaders say the SMMC will also be a vital link between Atom Valley and the Oxford Road Corridor, ultimately forging a pathway for new companies and projects to expand from the city centre out into the wider city region.
Work has finally begun on Greater Manchester’s new ‘innovation hub’ in Atom Valley / Credit: DLA Architecture
Mayor Andy Burnham says this is the ‘most ambitious development’ in Atom Valley so far
“It will help unleash the untapped potential of the world-leading research taking place across our city region, bridging that crucial gap from invention to bringing those new innovations to the market,” he explained. “And it will create a new hi-tech corridor from the out to the north of Greater Manchester, creating jobs and new opportunities for start-ups to scale up their ambitions.
“This is integrated, well-connected development in action, and a clear sign of our mission to spread the benefits of growth right across our city region.”
Emily Sergeant -
18th July 2022 
