Arena Essex lake swim danger warning (From Echo)

Arena Essex lake swim danger warning

10:50am Wednesday 8th July 2009 in

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YOUNGSTERS are risking their lives by swimming in a dangerous fishing lake.

Police and anglers are warning children to stay away from the Arena Essex Fishing Lake, in Purfleet, before someone gets hurt or even killed.

Since the hot weather started, as many as 30 people at a time have been trespassing for a dip by cutting through the fence surrounding the former chalk quarry Anglers and police say anyone going in the lake, behind the Arena Essex stadium in Arterial Road, is threatened by hidden obstructions, infections, cold, deep water and strong currents.

Scaffolding poles, some protruding from the water, and others submerged to help create different depths of water for anglers – could hurt anyone jumping or diving in.

The water is also infected with Weil’s disease, caused by rat urine and common in lakes and rivers. This can cause headaches and fever and, in some cases, lead to meningitis and liver failure.

PC Elizabeth Man Rey, of Thurrock police, said: “With the hot weather, the lake looks inviting, but I don’t want to have to turn up on some parent’s doorstep and deliver bad news. The lake is very dangerous. We just don’t want a tragedy happening.”

PC Man Rey said officers had warned trespassers and even writing to their parents.

Perry Hawkes, 48, treasurer of the Arena Angling Society, said youngsters had caused £3,000 damage cutting through the fences.

He added: “We’ve never had this problem with swimmers before. We ask them to leave and they start throwing stones.

“We’ve got scaffolding poles sticking two to three feet out of the water, which could hurt them, and with the rats down there, it’s really dangerous.”