A coroner has issued a warning to youngsters following the death of a teenager who drowned at a beauty spot.

Jamie Robert Kowalczyk, a non-swimmer, died in the Blue Lagoon at Womersley, North Yorkshire, on Thursday, August 8, during a day out with friends.

The 14-year-old visited the disused quarry with 15 to 20 friends from his home village of Knottingley, on the border of West and North Yorkshire.

Jamie had been pulled unconscious from the water by a diver, after a 15-minute search. He was taken to Pontefract General Infirmary, where he was declared dead.

Yesterday, the acting coroner for North Yorkshire, Geoffrey Fell, said the Blue Lagoon may sound attractive to youngsters, but it was a potentially lethal playground.

He said: "These places are dangerous. This particular quarry, I am told, is 13 to 20 metres deep, which makes it very cold, and there is some debris on the bottom of it.

''They are dangerous places and children in particular are well advised to keep well away from them."

Mr Fell briefly opened and adjourned the inquest at Selby Magistrates 'Court.

The cause of death was drowning, the hearing was told.

The inquest was adjourned to a date to be fixed.