Latest news with #DavidMather
ITV News
01-05-2025
- ITV News
Fire chiefs call for urgent action on drownings
Fire chiefs are calling for urgent national action to prevent drownings after a 16-year-old boy died while swimming in a lake during a spell of hot weather. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has urged the Government to give fire services in England a legal duty to respond to water emergencies, such as rescues in rivers, lakes and canals. The call comes during the NFCC's Be Water Aware campaign and as emergency services report a rise in water-related incidents. The teenager died after getting into difficulty at Colwick Country Park in Nottingham on Wednesday evening. His body was recovered hours later. Chief Inspector David Mather of Nottinghamshire Police said: 'While work is now under way to understand how the boy came into difficulty, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight this case as a reminder of the devastating consequences of entering open water – regardless of whether people do so deliberately or inadvertently.' Tom Staples, from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the incident was a 'stark reminder' of the hidden dangers in open water. NFCC water safety lead Chris Kirby said: '1,400 people have died in accidental drowning incidents across just five years. 'We need urgent action to prevent anybody else coming to harm and that requires steps being taken at a national level.' The NFCC says the lack of a legal duty in England means fire services face limits on how much they can invest in water rescue training, equipment and education. It also leads to inconsistencies across the UK, with Wales having a statutory duty for inland water rescue, and Scotland and Northern Ireland holding duties in relation to major flooding. Kirby said clearer responsibilities for fire and rescue services, backed by law and funding, would help improve emergency response and public safety campaigns. Figures from the Water Incident Database show 1,409 people died in accidental drownings between 2019 and 2023, with more than half in inland waters. The NFCC also wants the Government to appoint a lead department or minister for water safety to better coordinate prevention work. Temperatures reached 29.3C at Kew Gardens in London on Thursday – the hottest May 1 on record – with fire services warning of a surge in water incidents. The London Fire Brigade said such incidents were up 32% last month. Assistant Commissioner Patrick Goulbourne said: 'Even when the sun is shining, water temperatures can be dangerously cold.'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
Fire chiefs call for urgent action on drownings
Fire chiefs are calling for urgent national action to prevent drownings after a 16-year-old boy died while swimming in a lake during a spell of hot weather. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has urged the Government to give fire services in England a legal duty to respond to water emergencies, such as rescues in rivers, lakes and canals. The call comes during the NFCC's Be Water Aware campaign and as emergency services report a rise in water-related incidents. The teenager died after getting into difficulty at Colwick Country Park in Nottingham on Wednesday evening. His body was recovered hours later. Chief Inspector David Mather of Nottinghamshire Police said: 'While work is now under way to understand how the boy came into difficulty, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight this case as a reminder of the devastating consequences of entering open water – regardless of whether people do so deliberately or inadvertently.' Tom Staples, from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the incident was a 'stark reminder' of the hidden dangers in open water. NFCC water safety lead Chris Kirby said: '1,400 people have died in accidental drowning incidents across just five years. 'We need urgent action to prevent anybody else coming to harm and that requires steps being taken at a national level.' The NFCC says the lack of a legal duty in England means fire services face limits on how much they can invest in water rescue training, equipment and education. It also leads to inconsistencies across the UK, with Wales having a statutory duty for inland water rescue, and Scotland and Northern Ireland holding duties in relation to major flooding. Kirby said clearer responsibilities for fire and rescue services, backed by law and funding, would help improve emergency response and public safety campaigns. Figures from the Water Incident Database show 1,409 people died in accidental drownings between 2019 and 2023, with more than half in inland waters. The NFCC also wants the Government to appoint a lead department or minister for water safety to better coordinate prevention work. Temperatures reached 29.3C at Kew Gardens in London on Thursday – the hottest May 1 on record – with fire services warning of a surge in water incidents. The London Fire Brigade said such incidents were up 32% last month. Assistant Commissioner Patrick Goulbourne said: 'Even when the sun is shining, water temperatures can be dangerously cold.' The RNLI urged swimmers to float on their backs if in trouble and to only swim at lifeguarded beaches.
Metro
01-05-2025
- Metro
Body found in search for boy, 16, who went swimming in lake
A body has been found following a search for a 16-year-old boy who went missing in a lake. Nottinghamshire Police said the teenager got into difficulty while swimming in the water at Colwick County Park yesterday. Emergency services were called to the scene at 5.20pm. A body was found just after 8pm by an underwater search team, the force said in an update this morning. The boy's family have been told by police and they are being supported by specially trained officers. His death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner. The news comes after higher-than-average temperatures across the UK this week. Chief Inspector David Mather said: 'This is a tragic discovery and our thoughts are with this boy's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. 'While work is now underway to understand how the boy came into difficulty, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight this case as a reminder of the devastating consequences of entering open water – regardless of whether people do so deliberately or inadvertently. 'As in this tragic case, open water can have hidden dangers that can prove fatal and I would urge anyone who spends any time on or near open water to use this case as a devastating reminder of that – particularly during the recent warm weather we have been experiencing.' Tom Staples, from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue, said: 'Despite the tireless efforts of all the emergency services involved, we are deeply saddened to confirm that the body of a 16-year-old boy has been recovered at Colwick Country Park. More Trending 'On behalf of the Service, and personally, I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the boy's family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.' Councillor Sam Lux, from Nottingham City Council, added: 'This is an absolutely tragic incident and our hearts go out to the family and friends of the young person who has sadly died. 'We will be working with Notts Police and Notts Fire and Rescue Service to understand the full circumstances of what happened but we join with them in highlighting the extreme dangers that open water such as lakes, rivers, quarries or canals can present.' Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE: First picture of skydiver who fell to her death in 'deliberate' act MORE: 'Mushroom killer's' texts to ex-husband before serving deadly lunch revealed MORE: Virginia Giuffre's heartbreaking final letter released by her family
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'I've been healthy all my life, then I went to the doctor feeling tired and everything changed'
A grandad-of-six went to his GP after he started wheezing and feeling very tired – but in the weeks that followed, he was left living a nightmare. David Mather, a retired company director from Hale, says he had been 'very healthy all his life'. But when he went to his GP complaining of wheezing and fatigue, that track record was destroyed. The 81-year-old was told he had stage four non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in October 2024 – and that the disease was at an advanced stage and had spread to his bones. Urgent treatment began, then David was offered a potentially life-changing opportunity. READ MORE: "It's going down": Derelict bingo hall starts to 'crumble' as huge blaze ravages site READ MORE: Vaping horror as first ever study reveals deadly side effects After his diagnosis, David was referred to the renowned Christie cancer treatment centre in Manchester and began a course of immunotherapy, which is a type of drug that uses the body's own immune system to fight the cancer. But as the illness was already so advanced, David was eligible for a ground breaking clinical trial being run in Manchester. He then became one of the first patients in the world to be recruited to the largest clinical trial using radiotherapy to treat lung cancer that has spread. David said: 'I've been very healthy all my life, so I consider myself lucky to have got to my age without anything serious. When I was offered the opportunity to participate in the trial, I was very happy to do so. 'If having radiotherapy improves my prognosis and quality of life, and reduces the symptoms, then that will be fantastic. I also hope that by participating in this trial I play a part in helping others in the future.' The TOURIST trial is the first trial in 20 years to look at how radiotherapy could benefit late-stage metastatic lung cancer patients and could change global clinical practice for treating advanced lung cancer. The clinical trial uses a technique called 'VMAT' (volumetric modulated arc therapy) – a form of radiotherapy that uses multiple beams of varying strengths to treat cancer. A device called a linear accelerator (LINAC) delivers high-energy beams while rotating around the patient to treat the tumours. Giving the radiotherapy in this way makes it very accurate, shortens the treatment time, and uses a lower overall dose of radiation. It means more cancer cells can be killed while also sparing healthy tissue around the organ. Previously, this machine has only been used to treat patients with early-stage cancer that has not spread. Dr David Woolf, consultant oncologist at The Christie, who is the joint chief investigator for the TOURIST trial explained: 'By using this newer technology alongside standard immunotherapy or chemotherapy, we hope we can change the face of lung cancer treatment. 'We have identified an unmet need, and the aim is to use the evidence we gather from the study to change clinical practice worldwide. Potentially this could help up to a million people a year across the globe, which is tremendously exciting.' Even though David is in his 80s, his age does not stop him from being part of the trial. Professor Matthew Hatton, Honorary Professor of Clinical Oncology at The University of Sheffield and joint chief investigator for the TOURIST trial, said: 'This is a very inclusive trial and most people with stage IV NSCLC lung cancer are eligible. David has recently turned 81-years-old, so you could think his age might exclude him from taking part in research, but certainly not in this case. We believe this treatment could be of additional benefit to all late-stage lung cancer patients, who often have a poor prognosis and typically about a year to live. 'The focus of the study is to extend and improve the quality of life of patients increasing the number of longer-term lung cancer survivors.' The type of cancer David has, NSCLC, accounts for 85-90 per cent of all lung cancer cases worldwide with 70 per cent of patients diagnosed at stage four of the disease and 1.2m deaths globally each year. Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in the UK, accounting for 21 per cent of cancer deaths annually. Around half of NSCLC lung cancer patients (44 per cent) in the UK present to their doctors with incurable stage four disease, meaning treatment focuses on controlling symptoms and extending life, rather than curing. Nicky Downs, Senior Trial Manager for the TOURIST trial at the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, said: 'It's fantastic to see the first patients being recruited into TOURIST. Clinical trials rely on people, like David, volunteering to be part of research and we are so grateful to him and everyone who signs up to the trial. 'Their participation will help us create the evidence which could lead to improved quality of life, and potentially better treatments, for more lung cancer patients in the future.' Any patient with stage four NSCLC who would be interested in taking part in the TOURIST trial should discuss it with their local oncologist. Any patients interested in taking part in any research at The Christie should discuss this option with their consultant. Not all patients will fit the criteria for a specific trial. While clinical trials can be successful for some patients, outcomes can vary from case to case, says The Christie. More information about taking part in clinical trials can be found here.
