Teenagers risking lives by jumping into river at lock

A BOAT owner is urging parents to stop their children from jumping into the River Thames at Goring lock.

Karen Wiles, who lives on a barge is moored nearby, says groups of up to a dozen teenagers regularly dive into the water both upstream and downstream of the gates.

She fears there could be an accident because it is difficult to see a young person swimming in the water. Some children jump right in front of boats, which holds up lock crossings, and are seemingly oblivious to the danger.

Mrs Wiles, 59, a retired IT professional, says the groups have been appearing regularly since the start of the summer holidays and the end of the coronavirus restrictions.

The police have been called to disperse groups several times but the youngsters always return, sometimes within hours.

Mrs Wiles says she has seen gatherings of up to 100 youths at locks further up the Thames and doesn’t want the problem to get any worse in Goring.

She said: “I don’t want people to think that I’m a killjoy. When I shared a warning on Facebook, some people thought I was upset about children swimming in the river generally, which isn’t the case. Kids need to have fun but they’ve got to have it in the right place.

“There was always an issue but it’s getting worse as the weather becomes warmer. I guess there’s a lot of pent-up frustration and boredom after months of lockdowns.

“The lock-keeper has tried telling the young people off but he risks getting a ton of abuse in return and while the police can get the kids to leave the scene, they quickly come back.

“I don’t think they realise the danger they’re putting themselves in and, to be honest, I doubt the parents have any idea where they are or what they’re up to.

“There could be all kinds of sharp debris under the water’s surface, like shopping trolleys, and a boat can’t stop suddenly in the way that a car might as it has a far longer stopping distance.

“You can’t just bring 32 tonnes of metal to a halt on water and if anybody gets tangled in a propeller, they aren’t going to survive. The only option is to throw yourself in reverse but that could endanger people behind you.

“There have been problems with them running across the gridding [at the weir] and the lock-keeper has even had to stop people from paddleboarding over the weir, which could be lethal if anything went wrong.

“We’re hearing more and more about people drowning in rivers over the summer and I’m very concerned that something similar could happen in Goring.

“I’ve spoken to a lot of boat owners who are very angry and feel intimidated by young people hurling absolutely foul language at them if they dare to speak up.

“We’re terrified about what might happen and hope the situation will improve. I’d be very worried if I thought my child was involved in anything like this.”

Dozens of river users left comments online supporting Mrs Wiles.

Mary Galer, who runs the Miller of Mansfield restaurant in Goring high street, said: “Thank you for your ongoing commitment to keep people safe. I warn my kids every time as they get older and more independent and your sentiments are appreciated.”

Peter West, who skippers passenger boat services in and around Goring, said: “I quite agree. I witnessed a drowning 20 years ago of a 12-year-old who dived in at Wallingford with his friends and didn’t come back up.

“The kids were crying and three hours later the rescue divers found the child tangled up in river weed. It still haunts me today.”

Similar problems were reported at Hurley lock last summer, when more than 1,000 people descended on the site and damaged equipment owned by the Environment Agency.

Handrails were removed and padlocks and fences keeping the public away from electrical equipment were damaged while people were jumping into the water near moving boats.

The Environment Agency, which has recorded similar incidents across the country, had to employ a security officer to patrol the area.

It says people shouldn’t dive or jump into rivers because there could be unseen hazards and shouldn’t swim at all near weirs, locks or sluices because they could be pulled down by strong currents.

It says young people are most likely to get in trouble but anyone swimming in the river should keep an eye out for boat traffic as they can be difficult to spot, even with high-vis clothing.

The agency wouldn’t allow the lock-keeper to speak to the Henley Standard.

Meanwhile, a bollard on the path leading to a riverside beauty spot in Goring has been replaced at a cost of about £350.

It was ripped out and thrown into the river several months ago by kayakers wanting to access an unofficial launch point at the Ferry Lane green space despite the fact that launching vessels there is forbidden by the parish council, which owns the land.

The number of unauthorised users increased and this was damaging the verge at the water’s edge despite the council spending thousands of pounds on restoring it.

Council chairman Kevin Bulmer said improvements would be discussed as part of a review of all the village’s green spaces, which will take place over the coming months.