Safety call after waterfall death

Rescuers searched the river for the boy for six hours

There are calls for better safety measures to be put in place after a 15-year-old boy drowned in the river Llugwy, in Snowdonia.

Christopher James David Turnbull, from Rhos on Sea, was with a group of six friends when he fell into the water at Cyfyng Falls, Capel Curig, on Monday.

His parents paid tribute to their son and praised one of his friends who jumped in the water to try to save him.

MP Elfyn Llwyd called for a campaign on the dangers of river swimming.

Christopher's body was recovered following a six-hour search after he fell into the river at about 1230 BST on Monday.

The third teenager to die in river swimming accidents in Wales this year, it is thought he slipped down rocks into a swirling pool.

Christopher Turnbull was at the river with a group of friends

Fire crews, mountain rescue, the air ambulance, RAF helicopter and underwater search teams were dispatched to the scene after his friends raised the alarm.

One of his best friends, Reece McNally, jumped into the fast-flowing water in an attempt to save him.

Christopher's parents, John and Debbie, said: "We loved him to bits and did everything for him.

"We would particularly like to mention Reece, who bravely jumped in after Christopher to try and save his life."

'Great tragedy'

Roger Jones from the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team said: "Where you see the water when it comes down at the bottom of a waterfall - at the bottom the water is usually called the boil, where the water is very turbulent.

"It's a great tragedy and I've every sympathy for the young man's family and friends. I hope this awful tragedy will be a warning to others.

"I would suggest we have a publicity campaign of some kind so that people can be warned in advance that yes, why not swim in the river, I've swum in the Llugwy many times but there are pools in the Llugwy that I wouldn't dare ever enter into."

'Full campaign'

Elfyn Llwyd, MP for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, told BBC Wales' that before swimming anywhere in a river, local people should be consulted to see if it is safe to do so.

"There is a presumption that swimming in the sea is dangerous and swimming in the river is safe but it's quite the contrary in some cases and unfortunately this proves the point," he said.

"I think time and money needs to be spent on a full campaign now."

People in the area said despite the dangers, the river it is still an attraction for young people.

Eirian Evans, who runs a nearby cafe, said: "This has happened a few times, this is the third teenage death in the last four or five years that we know of.

"We saw a few of them sliding down the rocks a couple of days ago and my husband said to me, it's only a matter of time before we lose another one."