Mum feels 'heard' as PM responds to drowning campaign

The mother of a boy who drowned off Bournemouth Beach has said she feels "heard" after the prime minister responded to a water safety campaign.

Vanessa Abbess, from Southampton, joined other bereaved families in delivering a letter to Downing Street on Tuesday calling for greater action to prevent similar deaths and the appointment of a water safety minister.

Vanessa's 17-year-old son Joe died on 31 May 2023 after being caught in a rip current. Twelve-year-old Sunnah Khan, from High Wycombe, also died in the incident.

Andy Burnham thanked the families and the national Save Lives for Sam campaign, and said the government would continue working on a new drowning prevention strategy.

Vanessa wants to see "mass education" rolled out on water safety and said she felt "quite emotional" and was "grateful and encouraged" by the "prompt and supportive response".

She told the BBC: "I felt that I'm being heard, and Joe's story is being heard, which brought a tear to my eye.

"It's been quite a journey and to be literally at Downing Street in itself is rather mind-blowing."

The campaign was supported by other bereaved families, including Simon Haycock whose 16-year-old son Sam drowned at a reservoir in South Yorkshire in 2021.

It also comes after record-breaking temperatures over the summer when a number of people around the country died while swimming in lakes and rivers.

The campaign has also been backed by organisations including The National Water Safety Forum (NWSF).

Responding to the campaign, Burnham said there was "more we can do to prevent these avoidable tragedies".

"No parent should ever have to go through what Vanessa and Simon have been through," he said.

The PM added: "We will keep working with the NWSF on its new Drowning Prevention Strategy to make that happen.

"In the meantime, I'd urge everyone to remember how dangerous open water can be, and the real risk of cold water shock, even for strong swimmers."

Labour MP for Southampton Itchen Darren Paffey said he welcomed the response and would continue pressing for further action, including a meeting between ministers and families affected by drowning.

"The sad reality is that our campaign to improve water safety is even more urgent after another summer of tragic drownings," he added.