Teens drown in reservoir

Swim at beauty spot ends in tragedy

TWO teenagers have drowned in a reservoir on the Oldham and Ashton border.

The youths, believed to be in their late teens, were swimming in Knott Hill reservoir, at the foot of Hartshead Pike.

The alarm was raised by a walker shortly before 4.20pm yesterday, who saw them go into the water but fail to reappear.

Police, firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene, and police confirmed two bodies had been recovered.

The teenagers have not yet been identified, and police are investigating the circumstances of their death at the local beauty spot.

Knott Hill reservoir, which is next to Ashton golf course, was turned into a nature reserve after it was decommissioned by North West Water in the late 1970s.

It is managed by Tameside Council, and has become a wildlife haven for a variety of birds and animals..

Graham Brennan, of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We don’t yet know the full circumstances, but in general we would advise anyone, particularly young people in warm weather, not to swim in unsupervised stretches of water like a reservoir.”