Warning after boy, 14, injured in Marine Lake

A 14-YEAR-OLD boy was hospitalised after he jumped into the Marine Lake from a bridge despite warnings from police.

The teenager dropped into shallow water from the Marine Way Bridge and had to be rescued by emergency services when he cut his foot open and was unable to move.

Police, fire and ambulance were all called to the rescue operation at around 8.30pm on Tuesday, August 11.

A large crowd of onlookers gathered across the bridge as crews brought the youth to safety. He was then taken to Ormskirk Hospital by paramedics for treatment to his injured leg.

The group of boys and girls who were swimming had twice been warned of the risks of jumping into the lake earlier in the afternoon by an officer on patrol on the seafront.

A spokesman for the ambulance service added: “We attended with an ambulance and rapid response vehicle to reports that there was someone in the water who was injured.

“There was one patient, a male in his teens. They were complaining of a leg injury and we’ve taken them to hospital.”

After the officer’s advice was ignored, police launched a wider appeal for people not to make the same mistakes.

A spokesman said: “The Marine Lake in Southport is between 4ft - 5ft deep. It has not been emptied or dredged for many years and over that time, all sorts of items from bikes to shopping trolleys and more have found their way into the lake.

“Apart from the risk of hitting the bottom, the risk of injury from other items not visible from above the surface is high.

“We strongly recommend that people do not swim in or dive into the lake from any height, irrespective of the level of swimming ability.”