Staying safe in water when the weather's hot

Safety charities say it's really important that young people stay safe around water - especially when it's hot.

The sunny weather can make it tempting to go for a swim but they say that everyone should only swim where, and when, it's safe to do so.

The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) are a charity who campaign to raise awareness of how to have fun around water, while avoiding danger.

They want people to be able to enjoy themselves by following their safety tips.

These include only swimming where there are lifeguards, not swimming too far from the shore and knowing that water can be much, much colder than it looks, even on hot days, which can affect your ability to swim.

Also, children should always go swimming with an adult and never by themselves, says the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA).

According to the RLSS, if you are considering cooling off in water you should make sure there's a well-trained and professional lifeguard.

In swimming pools, and at beaches or areas where it's safe to swim, you often see areas marked by flags, and lifeguards in yellow t-shirts - but that's often not the case in rivers, canals, or lakes.

And many reservoirs have signs telling people not to swim, because they aren't safe locations - the water can be very cold and there can be equipment under the surface.

Look for lifeguards: If you are looking for a place to cool off, always find a swimming site that has a lifeguard, like a swimming pool or many beaches.

Be extra careful around cold water: Water at open-water and inland sites is usually much colder than it looks. Cold water causes your body to go into shock - affecting your ability to swim and self-rescue.

Stay close to the edge: Always swim parallel to the shore, that way you're never too far away from safety.

Always stay near friends or family: If anything goes wrong, you've got someone there to help.

Learn basic survival, self-rescue and rescue skills.

Don't take any risks: You may think it is fun to play around in water unsupervised or to jump off rocks but it can be very dangerous and help or rescue may be a long way away.