An emotional new animation re-telling the story of a Rotherham schoolboy who drowned four years ago has been watched more than a quarter of a million times in less than a week.
Sam Haycock was celebrating after his last day of school, a hot day in May 2021, when the 16-year-old visited Ulley Reservoir in Rotherham with friends.
But after getting into difficulty in the water, Sam could not be saved by emergency services.
The short film created by former Pixar animator Gary Andrews forms part of the latest effort by South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue to prevent young people needlessly drowning in open water.
Chris Tyler, group manager at South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: “Sam’s story is incredibly tragic and shows just what can happen if you don’t treat water with respect.
“Water in lakes and reservoirs is often much colder than you think – even on hot days. It can cause your body to go into cold water shock, leaving you helpless in seconds. There can also be hidden currents that can overpower even strong swimmers.
“If you want to swim in open water it is best do this as part of an organised group who consider the weather and other factors that could impact safety, and take care to properly acclimatize to the water temperatures.
“Our ask is to share this video with any young people you know so that we don’t lose any more young people in the water”.
Sam’s dad, Simon, set up the water safety campaign group, Sam’s Army Mission 1Life in memory of his son.
Simon said: “It’s every parent’s worst nightmare to outlive their children.
“That’s why I’ve dedicated myself to raising awareness and educating young people about the dangers of water through Sam’s Army. But there’s only so much I can do.
“We continue to call on the government to put drowning prevention on the agenda and ensure that no one goes through the trauma we went through.”
Alongside the amination, SYFR issued a list of advice to young people this summer:
- Never jump into open bodies of water – this can cause cold water shock and impact on your ability to swim
- Do not ‘drink and swim’ – alcohol can significantly impact your ability to swim and get to safety
- Don’t be peer pressured into swimming where you aren’t comfortable, or if you can’t swim
- If you get into trouble, float to live – fight the instinct to thrash around, lean back and stay afloat until you can control your breathing and call for help
- If a friend gets into trouble, encourage them to float to live and call 999 immediately