A WARNING has been issued of the dangers of drinking by rivers as two young men were seen jumping into the water from a bridge.

The incident happened on Saturday at Durham Miners' Gala on the pedestrian bridge, crossing the River Wear, near the racecourse.

Police tried to stop one of the bare-chested men but he jumped before they could reach him. Officers managed to persuade a third man to climb back over the railings.

The warning was issued by Durham County Council, Durham Police and a local angling club on the back of an incident in which about 100 young people were seen by the river at Chester-le-Street, with some swimming.

Inspector Dave Coxon, of Chester-le-Street Police, said: “Quite often, young people just don’t see the dangers of what they are doing and seem to believe they are indestructible.

"We don’t want to spoil their fun, but neither do I want to be knocking on someone’s door to tell their parents that their son or daughter isn’t coming home.

“At the end of term, the public can expect to see uniformed officers at key locations around the town, including outside schools, in the parks and at the riverside.

"That won’t just be about seizing alcohol, it will be about making sure young people are safe.”

The young people, who are thought to have been celebrating the end of exams, gathered under the A1 bridge over the River Wear, leaving litter including empty cans discarded by the water’s edge.

Chester-le-Street and District Angling Club said the site has become an increasingly popular meeting place for groups of young people in recent years. The club’s members have reported seeing young people climbing the bridge and youngsters have been spotted in the river with their friends throwing objects at them, while some anglers have had things thrown at them while fishing.

The club says it has found hypodermic syringes at the site alongside broken glass bottles and empty plastic bottles and cans. The council, police and club are working together to find ways of reducing anti-social behaviour with the force to increase patrols in the area.

Cllr Craig Martin, who represents North Lodge and Chester-le-Street, said: “We need parents to ask where their children are going on an evening and warn them about the hazards posed by rivers.

“Statistically the majority of inland water deaths involve people who have drunk alcohol. I understand they want to celebrate the end of exams and school, but it needs to be done in a safe way.”

Dale Cowey, of the angling club, said: “Mixing alcohol and/or drugs with potential hazards of the river is a very dangerous cocktail and we feel it’s only a matter of time before tragedy strikes.”