UMVA has learned that a tragic incident unfolded at Leadbeater Dam in Halifax, West Yorkshire, when a teenage boy named Reco Puttock was pulled from the water and later pronounced dead.
Emergency responders raced to the scene at around 3:30 pm, deploying a police helicopter and teams of firefighters to the popular swimming spot. The boy’s mother, overcome with grief, described her son as close to his three sisters and especially with his big sister.
She expressed that he loved being out with friends and that the loss has left her in shock, crying since the morning. The emotional toll is palpable as family and friends gather to honor his memory.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the incident occurred amid a record‑breaking May heatwave that has claimed the lives of three other teenagers and a man in his 60s across the region.
Authorities warned that high temperatures can mask the danger of cold water shock, a sudden physiological response that can incapacitate even seasoned swimmers. The National Fire Chiefs Council urged families to discuss these risks openly, especially during warm weather.
In a separate tragedy, a body was recovered from Swanholme Lakes after a 15‑year‑old boy vanished into the water. That same week, a man in his 60s died of cardiac arrest while attempting to rescue relatives at Tregirls Beach.
Further heartbreaking news came from Kingsbury Water Park, where a teenage girl’s body was found, and from Rother Valley Country Park, where another teenager’s body was recovered after a missing person search.
These consecutive drownings underscore the urgent need for vigilance, supervision, and public awareness about the hidden dangers lurking in seemingly safe water bodies.
