A teenager has died after getting into difficulties while swimming with friends at a popular County Durham tourist spot.
Curtis Atherton, 16, from Hartlepool, was swimming beneath High Force waterfall in Middleton-in-Teesdale when he began to struggle.
His friends alerted the emergency services at 8pm on Tuesday. Police, fire crews, air support and mountain and fell rescue teams attended and searched the river.
The boy was found at about 9.45pm and airlifted to James Cook university hospital in Middlesbrough, where he later died.
Five other teenagers, three boys and two girls who had been with Curtis, were not injured.
DI Andy Crowe said: “This is a devastating incident and a stark reminder of how a fun afternoon swimming with friends can end in tragedy.
“My advice is simple. Do not swim in open stretches of water such as this as the dangers are often well hidden.
“As well as the deceptively cold water temperatures which affect people’s ability to swim, there are many hidden hazards lying beneath, such as strong currents and discarded rubbish or rocks.
“Curtis’s family would like to thank everyone involved in the efforts to locate Curtis yesterday evening.”
High Force, where the river Tees plunges 65ft, is one of Co Durham’s most popular tourist destinations and is located in the North Pennines area of outstanding natural beauty.
The incident comes a year after the Newcastle teacher Wadud Abdul drowned at the same spot during a family half-term trip.
