Dangerous jet skiers have come under fire after blasting vulnerable swimmers with water in Loch Lomond.
Paul Richardson, owner of Calamity Kayaking, witnessed the drama unfold in the popular Duck Bay on Wednesday night.
The 45-year-old kayaking instructor managed to capture the scene as the jet skiers appeared to intentionally blast the swimmers with water.
Paul - who had been looking out for people not wearing buoyancy aids - was flagged down by a member of the public while he was picking up rubbish.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Paul said: “I was walking along when a member of the public pulled me aside and asked if I'd be able to do anything about these jet skiers because she was concerned about them near the swimmers.
“I watched and observed to see what they were up to and one of the jet skiers just about killed one of the swimmers.
"That's when I got my phone out and you can see him having a confrontation with the swimmers and telling them there’s enough room from everybody but you can see him turning the jet ski on her a wee bit and splashing her.
“He then decided to go around them, the paddleboarder and the swimmers, and you can see them put a big splash of water over the lot of them."
In the footage, one onlooker can be heard saying 'oh my God' as the jet skiers soaks a swimmer and comes dangerously close.
A shocked Paul instantly alerted Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Rangers to the incident and took down the registration numbers on the jet skis.
He fears the jet skiers, believed to have been two men, could have killed the swimmers if they lost control of the water scooter.
He continued: “I had millions of concerns, they were aggressive, they were splashing water over them. They could have lost control of the jet ski and that's three more deaths on the loch.
He added: "A jet ski hitting swimmers is the same as a car hitting a human."
A spokesperson for the national park confirmed an investigation has been launched following the incident and the park rangers are liaising with National Park Police.
Simon Jones, Director of Environment & Visitor Services at Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, said: “Supporting people to enjoy the water bodies of the National Park safely is of the utmost importance to us.
"On Loch Lomond we have byelaws that all users must adhere to in order to ensure that everyone enjoys the water safely and responsibly.
"We encourage everyone who enjoys the loch – whether paddling, swimming, sailing or on a jet ski – to always have safety in mind, be aware of your surroundings and show respect for others in or on the water.
"Our boat team patrol the loch to help keep everyone safe. If they witness dangerous or reckless behaviour further action can and will be taken.”
For Paul, who launched his business in 2020, it's just one example of people not taking their safety seriously when enjoying the water.
The instructor, from Paisley, insists this is not an isolated incident and often has to signal to jet skiers to slow down on the loch.
The experienced kayaker has also vowed to call out people without buoyancy aids in the water after multiple drownings in Scottish waters in recent weeks.
He has even been handing out free buoyancy aids to those without them - lending over 20 in a single day - as he urges people not to put their life at risk.
