THE classmates of an eight-year-old boy who died after falling in a river have drawn posters for a new safety campaign being led by his family.

Ian Bell was playing with two friends beside the River Wear in April when he slipped and fell in near his home in Sunnybrow, County Durham.

The river was swollen due to days of heavy rain and hundreds of volunteers and members of the emergency services spent days searching the river for the school boy.

His body was found trapped under water beneath a tree root nine days later.

Last month County Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle ruled that Ian’s death was nothing but a tragic accident.

Now his family are leading a river safety campaign with the aim of ensuring the tragedy is never repeated.

Pupils at Sunnybrow Primary School, which Ian had attended since he was five, have drawn posters which will be used to educate other youngsters and be placed at the riverside to warn passersby about the dangers of the water.

All the children in the school took part in the project with four winning designs selected.

Headteacher Suzanne Binks only joined the school in September but said the children have told her all about Ian.

She said: “It was very tough at first but the children now welcome the opportunity to talk about what happened and they realise the importance of this campaign and these posters.

“It is clear that Ian was a very popular character and he is still missed everyday.”

Ian’s grandmother Christine Bell visited the school to see the posters with Ian’s baby brother Caleb, who was born weeks before Ian died.

She said: “What happened to Ian was a freak accident, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do anything to try and stop something like it happening again.”

Willington mayor Brian Myers is also leading the campaign and said: “We have a strong message to get out but I think people, especially children, are more likely to listen if they see it coming from Ian’s friends and school mates.”

As well as improving education and river awareness, the campaign group are also raising money to buy life buoys and specialist search equipment.

A charity night in Willington recently raised £500 for the cause.