POLICE have launched a safety drive urging people to take care when they are out and about near water during the summer holidays.

Northumbria Police, along with the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), has warned children and adults of the many hidden dangers in rivers, lakes, ponds and water-filled quarries, as well as the sea.

The call follows a spate of drownings in the region over recent months.

Inspector John Watts, of the Marine Unit, based at Viking Park, Jarrow, South Tyneside, said last night: "Since I took charge of the Marine Unit two months ago, I have been quite taken aback by the number of lives being lost through drownings.

"Water can prove deceptively dangerous for the unwary, especially children, and I think it is important during the school holidays to remind people of the dangers."

Peter Cornall, water and leisure manager for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "Parents and children alike need to be aware of how easy it is to get into difficulties.

"Most drowning deaths at inland water sites happen within moments of entering the water, and only a few metres from the bank."

Insp Watts, whose unit has responsibility for waterways throughout the North-East, said: "The message is clear. Do not swim in water inland.

"While a dip in seemingly cool water may be tempting on a hot afternoon, people often fail to consider the water is often surprisingly cold only a few inches beneath the surface."

He also said that the speed of flow was sometimes well beyond the abilities of even the strongest of swimmers.

Boats and other moving craft find it very hard to spot swimmers, while unseen underwater obstructions exist in many places.

These can include submerged landing platforms and discarded items such as shopping trolleys, cycles and other potentially dangerous obstacles.

The RNLI advises people to remember to find the red and yellow flags on beaches and swim between them.

People visiting beaches should also look at the safety signs, ask a lifeguard for advice, and get a friend to swim with them. If in trouble, they should put their hands in the air and shout for help.