Three years on from the drowning of a young child in the Kennet and Avon Canal in Newbury, officials have published an updated report into water safety in the district.

Three-year-old Dylan Milsom fell into the Kennet and Avon Canal at Victoria Park in Newbury, Berkshire, on March 13.

His mother Shelley Nardini had jumped into the water in a desperate attempt to save her son but sadly he died.

Since then, West Berkshire Council officers and representatives from the Canal and River Trust and emergency services have been meeting regularly to look at measures that could be implemented to prevent further deaths.

There has been one reported water related fatality in West Berkshire over the last 12-month period.

The incident in Newbury involved a male returning home from the town centre at night and falling into the canal in the Mill Lane area of Newbury.

Contact has been made with the Street Pastors in Newbury for their assistance in spreading the word about the dangers of water when walking home from a night out.

In addition to the above, two vulnerable users of the Salvation Army building in Newbury town centre fell into the river Kennet opposite the building. Both had to be rescued by the fire service and it was classed as a ‘near miss’.

The incident occurred on private land with the two men falling over a low barrier. Discussion is ongoing with the landowner to make this area more secure.

The Water Safety Partnership also keeps abreast of incidents county-wide to ensure we are aware of current issues and take any learning from those incidents.

One such incident has involved the death of a 10-year-old boy in the River Kennet in the Elgar Road area of Reading. Representatives of the Water Safety Partnership said they are working  with Reading Borough Council about establishing a Reading Water Safety Partnership.

On average, around 250 people lose their lives in accidental drownings in the UK every year, with hundreds more having near drowning experiences, sometimes suffering life-changing injuries. Children can be particularly at risk.

One of the striking characteristics of the data on accidental drownings is that a large proportion of victims did not leave home on the day they died intending to go into water of significant depth.

Roughly 40 per cent of deaths happen while people were out walking or running, in comparison to approximately around 20 per cent, who lose their life while swimming.

West Berkshire is home to a number of significant water courses and bodies, some of which extend through our urban areas, which can significantly increase the risk of accidental drowning.

Analysis of water incidents have resulted in a Water Safety cabinet being installed in Northcroft Park, Newbury in addition to those previously installed in Victoria Park, Newbury and at Pangbourne Meadow.

The Water Safety Partnership is also working with Pangbourne Parish Council to look at ways to discourage jumping or tombstoning)from Whitchurch Bridge.

A range of educational activities around the dangers of water are planned across the district this year.