'Swimmers were using lifebuoys' at Crookes Valley Park hours before man tragically drowned

Todd Woods from Killamarsh, who grew up in Sheffield and still frequents Crookes Valley Park with his family, said people need to be better educated about the life-saving importance of the flotation devices installed beside the lake.

He said: "I was there until 3pm yesterday with my wife and son…. Yesterday, when we turned up, groups of families there had taken off all the lifebuoys and used them as flotation devices and removed the ropes.

"There were young lads doing somersaults and jumping in the water. It was just a matter of time before something bad happened. We left not long after that because it was getting so silly."

Emergency services were called to the popular park at around 7.31pm last night after receiving calls that a man had got into difficulty in the water.

Sadly the underwater search team discovered the body of a man, aged in his 20s, just before midnight.

The police have treated the incident as non-suspicious.

Mr Woods said: "To be absolutely fair, I said to my wife that I wouldn't be surprised if somebody died in that pond today.

"We wouldn't be able to throw the lifebuoys because they've been used by people… I’m just listening to the news about the man who drowned and it makes me sad.

"Without the ropes, we couldn't throw the lifebuoys in the water. It was inevitable what happened yesterday."

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