The friends of a teenage boy who drowned in a lake on one of the hottest days of the year saw him ‘gasping for air’ but ‘thought it was a joke’, an inquest has heard.
Declan Sawyer, 15, got into trouble at Swanholme Lakes Nature Reserve in Hartsholme Park, Lincoln, on the afternoon of May 24.
He was swimming with his friends but started struggling in the water while heading to an island.
An inquest in Grimsby was told Declan’s friends initially thought he was joking but tried to help him after realizing he was in serious trouble, trying to get him to float on his back.
A friend said in a statement: ‘I thought he was pretending but he didn’t show up.’
Another described hearing Declan ‘gasp’ but ‘at first thought it was a joke’.
And the fear of being pulled underwater meant they couldn’t save him.
The inquest heard a member of the public call the emergency services at 2.20pm after hearing shouts asking for someone to call an ambulance.
The family of 15-year-old Declan Sawyer, pictured, paid heartfelt tributes to him after he died in a lake on one of the hottest days of the year
Declan had gone to Swanholme Lakes – a nature reserve near his home in Lincoln – when the local temperature rose to 27 degrees Celsius.
Swanholme Lakes is a local nature reserve and a nationally recognized Site of Special Scientific Interest
Declan’s body was recovered from the lake after an extensive search at around 7pm.
The coroner, who gave the cause of death as drowning, said: ‘This tragic incident highlights the inherent dangers of open water swimming.
‘Unlike controlled environments such as swimming pools, open water can present a range of hidden hazards including cold water shock, strong currents, sudden depth changes, poor visibility and underwater obstacles.
‘Even on warm, sunny days, water temperatures can be deceptively low and quickly lead to disorientation, breathing difficulties and exhaustion.
‘These risks can affect swimmers of all ages and abilities, often without any warning.’
The coroner advised anyone entering open water to assess conditions, swim only where it is safe, do not swim alone and be aware of ‘the potentially life-threatening consequences’ of unexpected problems in the water.
In a tribute to Declan read out in court, his father Carl described him as a popular boy who enjoyed football and fishing.
“I can’t put into words the effect this has had,” he said.
Declan, pictured, was also said to be a keen fisherman who enjoyed playing football
Friends added their own moving comments on social media in the hours after the tragic news
“Declan was my boy. Our lives will never be the same again.’
Mr Sawyer described the support the family had received as ‘overwhelming’ – adding that it showed what a popular young man Declan was
Declan’s aunt Lindsey Sawyer previously released a moving Facebook slideshow highlighting cherished family memories of a life tragically cut short.
The photos showed the boy growing up as a toddler, enjoying trips to the beach, motorcycling and outdoor adventure sports.
He was also said to be a keen fisherman who enjoyed playing football and had met a group of his heroes from Lincoln City FC.
Mrs Sawyer wrote: “Words cannot describe how heartbroken we are…how life can change so quickly and in such a tragic way…we loved you as if you were our own, watching all the wonderful memories you shared with us….
‘RIP Declan forever in our hearts… x.’
A massive search was carried out at the former quarry using police divers on May 24 and Declan’s body was recovered in the evening.
While police searched the lake, the area was cordoned off for the hundreds of Bank Holiday visitors who had enjoyed the nature reserve.
Swanholme Lakes is a local nature reserve and a nationally recognized Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The day of the incident was one of the hottest May days on record in Britain, when local temperatures in Lincoln rose to 27 degrees Celsius.
