A 15-year-old girl who died after getting into difficulties in the sea off the coast of Merseyside wanted to be a nurse so she could ‘give back’, her heartbroken family has said.
Chiedza Nyanjowa, from Cheshire, was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital after swimming at Formby beach on bank holiday Monday.
She died in hospital on Saturday, the force said, becoming the 13th victim of fatal water-related incidents during the record-breaking hot weather of the past week.
Merseyside Police said: ‘Her family would like to express their gratitude to everyone that helped Chiedza.
‘Her family are glad that there were people around her to support her; their support shows that she was loved.
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‘This is a difficult time for the family, who would appreciate any form of prayer.
‘Her family describe her as a bubbly person. She loved Christ and going to church.
‘She loved cooking, she was a giver and wanted to be a nurse when she grew up so she could give back.
‘She will be greatly missed and remembered for her kind spirit.’
A report into Chiedza’s death has been passed to Sefton coroner’s office.
Meanwhile, in Norfolk emergency services are continuing to search for a man in the River Yare at Surlingham.
Rescue teams from the police, fire, coastguard and air ambulance services were called to a stretch of the river near Ferry Road on Friday at 2.33pm after reports of concern for the safety of a man.
Searches using specialist equipment, including drones, thermal-imaging cameras and sonar were carried out into the early hours of Saturday and resumed later that morning.
The hot weather has attracted many people to open-water swimming, resulting in a number of deaths in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Cornwall, Hampshire, Warwickshire, Cheshire, Pembrokeshire, Lincolnshire and Lancashire over recent days.
On Tuesday, England and Wales experienced their hottest May days on record as temperatures soared to 35.1C in Kew Gardens, west London, while 32.9C was measured at Cardiff’s Bute Park, the Met Office said.
The weather service said temperatures were expected to hit 30C in south-east England on Saturday in what is forecast to be the final day of sweltering heat.
On Sunday scattered showers are expected across the UK, with temperatures closer to the average for this time of year, the Met Office said on its website.
Highs of 24C are expected in London on Sunday, with 19C in Birmingham, 17C in Aberdeen and 19C in Belfast.
In Kent, thousands of people are still experiencing water supply issues this weekend as South East Water continues to grapple with its network.
The company was giving out bottled water at designated collection points in the county on Saturday.
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