Boys drown in reservoir after getting caught in weeds on summer swim

Two teenagers drowned after becoming tangled in underwater weeds while swimming at a remote reservoir.

Craig Finn, 19, and Lee Flanagan, 17, planned to go angling but decided to have a dip first. 

They became tangled in thick weeds and were dragged beneath the surface of the water.

Friends rushed to alert the emergency services but could not find a public telephone in the remote spot.

A walker at the Knott Hill nature reserve in Ashton- under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, raised the alarm on his mobile.

Paramedics and around 15 firemen, including a specialist water incident unit, arrived at the scene on Monday afternoon to search for the teenagers.

Police divers eventually found their bodies around three hours later.

Wayne Duggan of Greater Manchester Fire Service said: 'We want to warn people about the dangers of swimming in this kind of place  -  it may look safe, but there are dangers you might not be able to see and there is no supervision.

'In remote places like this, it can take a long time to get help, and for that help to arrive. In some water incidents, we only have a few minutes to save lives.'

Craig had twin daughters, Emily and Olivia, aged three.

Double tragedy: Police work at the spot where the pair died, which has been cordoned off

His mother Susan Warran, 47, from Sale in Greater Manchester, said yesterday: 'Craig was just a loveable rogue. He just liked to have fun.

'He was a big Manchester United fan and he loved going out fishing  -  although he had never been to that reservoir before.'

His sister Marie Challenor, 29, added: 'Craig was a brilliant brother. He loved to have fun and he was a doting uncle to his five nieces and nephews.'

Lee's girlfriend Vicky Quinn, 27, said: 'Lee was a brilliant guy. We hadn't been together long but he had taken on my kids.

'I had spoke to him in the morning because I'd been away in London and he was asking me to come home.

'Then all of a sudden all my friends are ringing me and I came straight back to find this had happened.

'People were telling me Lee and Craig were dead but I couldn't believe it.'

Swimming is banned at the lake and there is a sign close to the water saying: 'No swimming; No shooting; No motorcycling. Danger: deep water.'

John Williams, 65, who runs Roxy Angling Supplies in Ashton, where the boys stopped to buy tackle, said: 'They often came in and were lovely lads.

'They were really keen anglers and it's an absolute shame. They've probably got bored and gone for a swim.

'There are hardly any places to go to fish in Tameside.

'Youngsters end up going to places like this that aren't really suitable. It's awful  -  these lads were just going out fishing because they enjoy it.'