Teenage girl becomes 13th open water death during heatwave

A 15-year-old girl has become the 13th person to die in a water-related incident during the heatwave.

Chiedza Nyanjowa, from Cheshire, was taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital after getting into difficulty while swimming on Formby beach on Bank Holiday Monday, 25 May.

Emergency services were called to reports of a concern for safety around 3.30pm.

Chiedza died in hospital on Saturday.

In a tribute, her family described her as a "bubbly person" who "loved Christ and going to church".

"She loved cooking, she was a giver and wanted to be [a] nurse when she grew up so she could give back," they said.

"She will be greatly missed and remembered for her kind spirit."

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High temperatures have attracted many to open water swimming, and there have been fatalities in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Cornwall, Hampshire, Warwickshire, Cheshire, Pembrokeshire, Lincolnshire and Lancashire.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has issued a water safety warning following the spate of deaths, urging people to follow key safety advice if they find themselves in trouble in open water.

It warned that: "While the sea or open water may look inviting during hot weather, it remains dangerously cold, putting even the strongest of swimmers at risk of cold water shock."

Cold water shock is a physiological reaction that happens when a sudden change in skin temperature occurs - for example, from hot air to cold water.

It can cause uncontrollable gasping and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, which can lead to panic and drowning very quickly.

Sky News meteorologist Christopher England said Saturday was the last of the really hot days of the current dry spell.

Near-average temperatures are expected for the next week, with some rain as well.

(c) Sky News 2026: Teenage girl becomes 13th open water death during heatwave