FIREFIGHTERS and rowers have joined forces to urge people to stay safe around the region’s rivers.

The warning comes after several tragic river deaths in recent months, including Durham University students Sope Peters, Luke Pearce and Euan Coulthard; Megan Roberts, Ben Clarkson and Tyler Pearson in York; teenager Jordan Roberts near Finchale Abbey and eight-year-old Ian Bell near Crook in April 2012.

For the first time, the Chief Fire Officers’ Association is running a nationally co-ordinated campaign to mark Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Week, which started on Monday.

On the River Wear, the week began with swift water rescue crews from the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service joining members of Chester-le-Street Rowing Club, to which the brigade recently donated three rowing machines, to raise awareness of a ‘fatal five’ risk factors – cold water shock, underwater dangers such as machinery, debris and even disease-causing rat urine, currents and water conditions such as floods, ice and riptides, alcohol consumption and swimming ability.

Peter Maddison, the brigade’s district manager for Durham and Chester-le-Street, said: “We want to work through education to promote water safety, getting message through to children at an early age.”

Firefighters were also out training on the River Tees at Low Force, upper Teesdale. Tomorrow (Tuesday, April 14), they will be training Abbey Rapids, near Barnard Castle; and later this week there will be safety demonstrations on Framwelgate Bridge, in Durham City – near where Mr Coulthard, a 19-year-old law student, was last seen alive in January.

Beer mats listing the ‘fatal five’ will be given to Durham University students when they return from their Easter holidays next week.

A range of measures have been agreed in an effort to protect students and other drinkers in Durham, including a drunk tank, taxi and nightbus services and a student-led riverside angels support scheme.

The results of an independent safety review are expected very soon and pub door breath tests will be piloted at a handful of bars by the end of the month.

There were 669 water-related deaths across Great Britain in 2013, with 20 to 24-year-olds most at risk.