A boy repeatedly dived into a river in Reading in a desperate attempt to save his bestfriend - who was scared of open water and couldn't swim, an inquest has heard. 

Shadrack Appiah, 10, tragically died after being rushed to Royal Berkshire Hospital at 3.25pm on Monday, August 21 last year, shortly after crying out for help while swimming with friends in the River Kennet near Waterloo Meadows. 

During an inquest at Reading Coroner's Court today, a coroner queried the lack of safety signs where it is believed Shadrack and his friends went swimming, with Reading Borough Council having now put up deep-water signs in the area. 

Shadrack's grand-uncle said the family was 'inconsolable' at the loss of the smart and funny boy, who had been 'a small pillar in their house, taking so much weight and pressure from the family'. 

The family were also shocked at the circumstances surrounding Shadrack's death, his grand-uncle Dr Stephen Appiah said. 

"Shadrack would never go into a pool," Dr Appiah said.

"The family tried everything. It just scared him. It especially surprised the family that he died in water, the very thing he was so scared of."

The inquest heard evidence from Shadrack's swimming teacher, who said the 10-year-old was unable to swim after 10 lessons during his time in Year 5 at New Christ Church Primary School. 

Firefighters reported that silt in the bend of the river by Waterlook Meadows may have given the impression that the water was shallow and could be walked on, coroner Hannah Godfrey heard. 

Shadrack had entered the water around 1.45pm and shortly after was heard to cry out for help and was seen struggling to say afloat before being submerged by the waterway.

Shadrack's best friend - who was not named during the inquest - dived into the river 10 times in an effort to find his friend after he disappeared under the water, the inquest heard. 

A mother of one of Shadrack's friends arrived shortly after the group begun swimming in the river and she jumped into the waterway twice in an effort to rescue the boy. 

Berkshire Fire and Rescue firefighters were called and arrived on the scene at 2.05pm, locating Shadrack in the river within 20 minutes. 

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Reading Borough Council has now placed deep-water signs around Waterloo Meadows following a safety review, according to Christopher Wheeler, assistant director of environmental services at the local authority. 

Ms Godfrey asked why a 'no swimming sign' had not been placed in the area - with Mr Wheeler responding that pictorial deep-water signs had been the recommendation of a review from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. 

The inquest is due to conclude on Friday, with Ms Godfrey indicating at the start of the inquest that she was 'likely' to rule that Shadrack had died through drowning in an instance of misadventure or accident.