A YOUNG man has told how he saw his cousin drown as they cooled off during a summer heatwave.

Robert Beddell, 18, and Mark Stoker, from Murton, east Durham, went for a dip along with friend Lance Gourley.

They ignored warning signs at Water Gate Lake, on farmland north of Murton on July 25 and tried to reach the island. But an inquest in Chester-le-Street yesterday heard how Mr Beddell was not as strong a swimmer as the other two.

Mr Stoker said: "We got about half-way across and Robert was following us.

"He panicked and grabbed my ankle and we both went under. I swam to the side and turned around. He had gone under again, so I went back for him, but I could not see him. I could not see anything. The water was too dark and it was cold."

The inquest heard there was no sign of drink or drugs in the system of Mr Beddell, who lived in Station Estate.

His body was recovered by a police diver almost six hours after he got into difficulty.

A post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death was drowning. Detective Inspector Kevin Langhan investigated the death.

He said the men who owned the lake, Martin Bulmer and two men who were not identified, had no legal requirement to provide safety equipment for swimmers because they were trespassing.

Det Insp Langham said: "The legislation is such that for the purposes of fishing, there should be safety equipment provided, but not for swimming. Still, there should have been lifesaving equipment there."

But Coroner Andrew Tweddle said he would strongly urge the men to provide safety equipment, regardless of who needed it.

He said: "In hot weather, places like this can be a magnet and young people are attracted to them, but they can be very dangerous and Robert has lost his life.

"I will be writing to Mr Bulmer and his colleagues in very forceful terms to see that steps are taken, if not already done so, to prevent similar tragedies in the future."

Mr Tweddle recorded a verdict of accidental death