CHILDREN paying tribute to the 10-year-old boy who died in a drowning tragedy at a Little Lever canal, are now putting their own lives at risk.

And this morning, the family of John Hardman urged children and parents to take heed of their heartfelt pleas to keep children away from water, unless supervised by an adult.

Youngsters - as young as seven - are gathering by the hazardous banks of the Bolton/Bury Canal. Some of them have placed flowers at the spot where John lost his life.

But in the aftermath of the tragedy, his mother Lorraine, and father, Antony, are both determined that lessons be learned from their son's tragic death.

The grim warning has also been issued to children and their parents by councillors and residents living close to the canal.

John's father, Antony told the BEN: "I just pray children and parents now take notice and take extra care."

But a mother, Mrs Jill Peters, of Ullswater Close, Little Lever, who made the journe with her son to place tribute flowers on the canal bank, last night said: "Children are curious and and are visiting the tragic scene. I have just witnessed two young teenagers with a child of about seven years trailing behind them close to the canal bank.

"I expressed my concerns and asked the older children to be very careful and to keep hold of the young one, but as I looked over my shoulder a bit further on, could see the little one still trailing a way behind the older ones.

"Children cannot sense the dangers and now I am regretting not following them to ensure their safety. The tragic loss of John has rocked Little Lever and we do not want a re-occurance.

"If children feel the need to visit the scene to pay their respects, please go supervised with an adult who can swim."

It was a small voice asking "can you help us mister?" that spread dread through the hearts of residents living close to the canal and realised their worst fears on Thursday evening.

The words were uttered by 11-year-old Jonathan Southern, desperate to raise the alarm after his two young friends, brothers John and Adam Hardman, 13, struggled to stay afloat in the freezing waters of the Bury/Bolton Canal.

As reported in yesterday's BEN, Adam was pulled to safety from the waters, but his young brother, John, of Sixth Avenue, was dragged unconscious from the canal and died in hospital later.

Both parents of the tragic youngster paid tribute to the neighbours who dragged Adam out of the water to safety.

Mr Hardman said: "I can only thank them from the bottom of my heart. If they had not been there, I could have lost two sons."

He added: "Everyone loved John. He was always concerned for other people. If you looked down in the mouth he would make you a cup of tea to cheer you up. He spoke to everyone and always had a cheery word.

"Young and old, he got on well with everyone. He always had a smile and a kind word for everybody."

Cheeky

And John's older sister, Stephanie, 15, added: "He was a typical cheeky little brother - always borrowing clothes. He was old for his age. He was brilliant, I loved him, he was my little bro'."

One of the neighbours approached by Jonathan for help, has described the accident as a "tragedy waiting to happen".

He said: "Last summer, time and time again I was shouting at kids jumping into the water. They would jump in during the hot weather for a bit of fun, and I kept telling them not to.

"I just knew something like this would eventually happen. When I heard a voice saying 'can you help us mister', I knew my worst fears must have been realised.

"I ran down and saw one of my neighbours jumping in the waters. The boy was drowning and somehow he got him out and saved his life.

"But then we heard one of the boys shout there was another boy in the water. He was not visible at all, and I grabbed a washing line prop to try to see if I could locate him under the surface.

"We couldn't find him and at that point the emergency services began to arrive."

Youngsters Jonathan and Adam, who were saved from the water, were taken into the resident's home. His wife gave them a change of clothing and wrapped them in quilts and blankets.

She said: "They were in a terrible state, suffering from shock. But it seems every time there is nice weather children head straight for the water."

Little Lever councillor, Maureen Connell, added: "With the canal and lodges at Moses Gate, there is a lot of water around. It seems that with the first signs of nice weather, children are immediately attracted to water.

"Schools and parents need to warn children of the dangers. I am shocked by this dreadful news and hope it will act to make children all the more aware of the dangers these places pose."

Speaking from the family home on Bowness Road, Jonathan Southern's mother, Alison Cave, described the fear which grabbed her when she opened the door to a policeman.

She said: "It was very, very frightening. I had no idea what had happened.

"Jonathan had become very close to John and Adam over recent weeks. I have no idea how to break the news to him.

"This has all come as a very big shock. It is a tragic day."

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