15‑year‑old girl dies in water incident, 13th fatality

A 15-year-old girl from Cheshire has died, becoming at least the 13th fatality attributed to water-related incidents during a period of record-breaking heat across the United Kingdom. Chiedza Nyanjowa passed away at Alder Hey Children's Hospital on Saturday, five days after getting into difficulties while swimming at Formby beach on Merseyside during the bank holiday weekend.

Emergency services were called to the beach off Albert Road at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Monday, May 25, following reports concerning the safety of a girl. According to police, witnesses indicated the teenager had gotten into difficulty in the water. She was transported to the hospital in critical condition. A report on her death has been passed to the Sefton coroner’s office.

In a statement released through Merseyside Police, her family expressed gratitude to everyone who assisted Chiedza. They described her as a bubbly person who loved her faith, cooking, and giving to others. She had aspired to become a nurse in order to give back to her community, her family said. They added that this is a difficult time and they would appreciate any form of prayer.

Her death is part of a broader pattern of tragedies...