Throwline stations have been unveiled at a Doncaster beauty spot, offering a potential lifeline to the hundreds of people who visit the lake there every week.

The 12 throwline stations at Lakeside, Doncaster have replaced traditional life rings, ensuring a more secure base for the life saving equipment.

Each throwline has been dedicated to a young person who has lost their life in an incident involving open water, with the unveiling attended by their families alongside members of the fire service.

To install the throwlines, which have all been funded by Doncaster Council, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has worked with ‘Doing it for Dylan’- a campaign set up by Beckie Ramsay whose son Dylan died while swimming in a quarry in Lancashire. Ever since, Beckie has worked tirelessly to promote water safety.

Around 400 people needlessly drown in the UK every year and thousands more suffer injury, some life changing, through near-drowning experiences. These stations provide quick access rescue capability for anyone who might find themselves in difficulties in the water.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Martin Blunden said “Our work to make South Yorkshire safer extends to much more than fire safety alone. This is a fantastic initiative and will go a long way towards protecting those who visit Lakeside. It is vitally important that we raise awareness of the dangers of water and to save others from going through the pain and upset experienced by the families who attended this unveiling.”

You can download a Water Safety Booklet here.

To find out more about Doing It For Dylan go to www.facebook.com/doingitfordylan, or follow @missmybabyboy on Twitter.