A quarry operator in Kent is warning members of the public about the dangers of swimming in quarry lakes, after a worrying number of incidents in the UK.

The school holidays and warmer weather may herald an increase in the number of young people tempted to enter a quarry uninvited, but don’t appreciate that what they perceive as harmless fun may put their lives at risk.

Six men drowned in former quarry sites across the UK during a two month period of unusually warm weather in 2013 and during May and June this year, two young men have drowned whilst swimming in similar sites.

A Stay Safe campaign has been started in an attempt to raise awareness and warnings of the hazards that can be encountered by entering these areas.

Tony Moore, supervisor of Sevenoaks Quarry, said: “I am lucky enough to have never witnessed a fatality, but I am aware of serious injuries people have sustained from swimming in the water.

“We have a public footpath running through the site so I can’t stress enough that people stick to this and potentially save their own life.”

The campaign is also being supported by RoSPA and Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

Lee Rose, head of community safety at KFRS, said: “The emergency services are regularly called to rescue members of the public who have got into difficulty, either in the water or as the result of a fall from height.

“Failure to appreciate the low water temperatures causes difficulties for people and all too often results in the worst possible outcome.”

On Tuesday, July 22, at a Stay Safe event, Kent Fire and Rescue Service demonstrated a range of equipment that would be used to rescue casualties from water and mud, and provided a water rescue demonstration with a boat.

With over 40 active quarries and many more unactive across the county, the majority of people in Kent will not live far from one.

Lisa Skone, the mother of a teenager who was killed whilst riding a quad bike in a quarry in Kent, said: “I do not want any other parent to experience what I and my family have been through, please make sure that your children are aware of the risks they and their friends are exposing themselves to.

“They think they are invincible and do not appreciate the potential consequences of their actions.”