A DEVASTATED father last night led calls for action to prevent a repeat of a tragedy in which his son died after swimming in the River Tees.

Malcolm Glen's 15-year-old son, Christopher, got into trouble while playing with friends downstream from the popular Broken Scar beauty spot on the Tees, near Darlington.

He was dragged unconscious from the water by firefighters, but was later pronounced dead at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

The stretch of river he was recovered from, known locally as Cleasby Deeps, is particularly dangerous because of strong undercurrents which can easily drag a child underwater.

Police have also described the stretch, which is up to 15ft deep, as a "magnet" for youngsters, yet there are no signs to warn of the dangers it poses.

Last night, Mr Glen, 52 - speaking 24 hours after his son's death - called for youngsters to be banned from swimming in Cleasby Deeps.

He said: "This should never have happened. This is too dangerous a place for any kid to swim in and should be blocked off.

"Something needs to be done."

Christopher, of Forest Moor Road, Darlington, who had two brothers and two sisters, had been a pupil at Eastbourne School and was due to sit his GSCEs next year.

He had also just completed a two-week work placement with Union Trucks and hoped to become a mechanic when he left school.

His father said: "He was a carefree, very happy lad. He liked riding his mountain bike and going camping, and also helped people around here with their gardens.

"I still don't know how all this happened and it has not even hit the rest of the kids yet.

"I told Christopher not to disappear off the street but he did and the next thing I knew the police were round knocking at the door."

In 1995, a 14-year-old Newcastle teenager and a 31-year-old Darlington man drowned in the River Tees further upstream at the popular Broken Scar beauty spot, at Low Coniscliffe.

At the time, Darlington Borough Council called for urgent talks about new safety measures, and warning signs were put up at Broken Scar.

However, huge stretches of the Tees at isolated points remain without signs and no life-saving inflatable rings, which could be thrown to the aid of a struggling swimmer.

Campbell Dawson, Richmondshire District Councillor for Cleasby, said: "There are very few signs along the river telling people that it is dangerous to swim.

"But I have seen children swimming there on many occasions in a river that has shown itself to be very dangerous.

"This tragedy must force something to be done to make sure this never happens again. I feel very sorry for the family."

A special assembly is expected to be held for Christopher Glen at Eastbourne School when children return in September.

The funeral is expected to be at St Theresa's Church, Darlington, next Wednesday.

Riverside frolics - Page