3 days ago
Children warned of 'death or injury' as manhole covers are removed in dangerous game in Warwickshire
Children are being warned that they risk death or serious injury if they continue removing manhole covers to climb underground.
The Warwickshire parish of Wellesbourne and Walton has several Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, or SUDS, which the council says are being used to play in.
It says groups of young people are putting themselves at risk of being "severely harmed, or worse, killed" and the covers need to be replaced.
The council shared photos on their social media, pleading with residents to inform police if they see anyone entering the pipes and to warn their children of the post read: "Danger and dangerous behaviour on The Grange. We do not usually use these terms but there is a group of teenagers who are in danger of personal harm through their behaviour."The pictures show the SUDS area and the open manhole. A group or groups of three or four boys have been seen entering the pipe in the SUDS. They are then crawling through it and coming up the drainpipe and opening the top covering from underneath and then leaving it uncovered as you can see from the picture."There is great danger that a young person could injure themselves severely, the lids are extremely heavy, or potentially kill themselves should it fall on them whilst they are opening it. Equally, they could get stuck in the pipework which could again end in injury."We have informed the police, Persimmon have visited on several occasions to replace the cover, mend the fences and secure the grills. However, this level of replacement is unsustainable, and the police cannot constantly be in attendance."If you see incidents happening, please immediately ring the police. It is an emergency as there is the possibility of harm. Please talk to your young people, about the hazards of such behaviour. We do not want anyone severely harmed or worse, killed."
