Dad of drowned teen says death still 'not clear'

The father of a 15-year-old boy who drowned in a flooded Kent quarry during a summer heatwave says it is still "not clear" what happened to his son, an inquest has heard.

George Cuckoo, from Gravesend, had gone swimming with a pair of friends in hot weather when he got into difficulty in the middle of a 65m-long (213ft) muddy lake in Swanscombe on 27 May.

His father, Simon Cuckoo, told the hearing in Maidstone that there had been differing reports on the teenager's final moments from the police and ambulance service, while formal statements were never taken from the other two boys present.

He says he also knows children are still "going in the lake" even after his son's death.

Kent coroner Venessa Holt described George as having been a "capable", but not strong, swimmer who had been to the lake on private property, known as the Blue Lake, on at least two previous occasions.

"His friends tried to assist him but he went under the muddy water, after which they attempted to find him but could not," she said.

The emergency services were called after he had been underwater for seven minutes and his body was recovered several hours later.

The medical cause of death was recorded as drowning.

Kent Police Det Insp Leighton Prior told the inquest accounts were taken from George's two friends at the scene, but subsequent formal statements were not sought so as to avoid traumatising them further.

He also said he was not sure who owned the property on which the lake is situated.

Prior added the lake was a popular swimming spot and accessible through a broken fence.

A statement read in court from South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) said the boys had swum in the lake and were playing on its banks when George went back in and tried to get across to the other side.

It added that had taken off his trainers and T-shirt, but was still wearing his socks and shorts when he "shouted in distress" and his friends "jumped in to try to get to him".

The coroner noted the account was "very different" from that of the police in terms of how long the boys had been there before going in the water, how many times they had swum and how many of them had been in the lake itself when the incident occurred.

Holt recorded George's death as an accident and says she is considering writing a prevention of future death report over the security at the site.

She also asked to be provided with information about what safety measures are in place there, such as warning signs.

"I'd like reassurance the lake is secure and whether (there is) any life saving equipment," she said.

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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