Teenager dies after getting into difficulty in Cumbrian lake during heatwave

Published: 18:23, 9 August 2026 | Updated: 18:24, 9 August 2026 A teenager has died after getting into difficulty in a lake in Cumbria on Saturday. Emergency services were called to Grasmere, one of the smaller lakes in the Lake DIstrict, at around 4.35pm on August 8, Cumbria Police said.  The 19-year-old was helped to shore, with an air ambulance in attendance, and taken to hospital but subsequently died. The teenager's family have been informed and officers are now seeking to speak to any eyewitnesses.  Cumbria Police said: 'Whilst the death is not being treated as suspicious, police would encourage anyone who witnessed what occurred to come forward to assist in establishing the circumstances. 'Police would also like to thank those who came to the teenager's aid, including those who helped get him to shore. 'If you have any information which could assist, you can report online at www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit quoting incident number 201 of 8 August 2026. You can also phone on 101.'   Grasmere gives its name to the surrounding village and is famous for being for a time the home of poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy.  An aerial view of Grasmere from the slopes of Silver Howe in English Lake District National Park During his time living at nearby Dove Cottage, William described the lake as 'the loveliest spot that man hath ever found'.   The teenager's death is the latest water-related tragedy following a series of heatwaves that have scorched the UK this summer. There have at least 35 drowning deaths since the first heatwave in May, the Guardian reported at the end of last month, drawing on a study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Last month a heroic father died trying to rescue his two children after they got into trouble at a beach in Hartlepool. Wayne Taylor bravely entered the sea alongside another unnamed man at Seaton Carew Beach in County Durham on Sunday. Tragically, both men died before they were able to save the boy and girl. Witnesses said Mr Taylor was swept away by the strong currents as he tried to rescue the youngsters and drowned alongside the second man, who had been walking his dog along the beach with his partner.  A 2024 study of almost 2,000 drowning deaths in the UK found that the risk of unintentional drowning grew by 7 per cent for every 1C rise in daily maximum temperatures - with the risk multiplying on the hottest days.     Yellow heat health alerts were issued from Saturday and will remain in place until Tuesday, covering the East Midlands, West Midlands and the entirety of southern England  Swimmers enjoy the water at Charlton Lido in south-east London during the heatwave on Friday A drone shot taken on July 31, 2026 shows scorched woodland near Dunwich after a coastal heathland blaze May and June's record-breaking heatwaves saw more than 2,800 excess deaths - and two more heatwaves in July fuelled droughts and wildfires across the UK.  Heat health alerts are in place until Tuesday but could be extended as hot weather is expected to continue well into next week. Temperatures have risen above 30C in south-east England as the UK prepares for a fifth heatwave in the coming week, while north-west Scotland has been hit by half a month's rainfall in just two days. Frittenden in Kent recorded 30.6C on Sunday, with more places expected to reach highs of up to 32C later in the day. Meteorologist Tom Morgan said: 'We've seen Frittenden in Kent reach 30.6C. We still expect temperatures to peak maybe 32C or just above this afternoon.' Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident on Sunday as two large fires in woodland put a strain on resources. Forecasters said Monday will be slightly cooler but heatwave conditions will likely return next week, with a high of 36C expected in parts of East Anglia and the South East by Thursday. Health officials have warned of risks when taking some medicines, including common painkiller ibuprofen, in hot weather as they can make it harder for the body to stay hydrated, regulate temperature or cope with sun exposure. Dr Alison Cave, chief safety officer at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said: 'Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), commonly used to treat acid reflux and heartburn, have also been linked to a very low risk of a lupus-like skin reaction triggered by sun exposure, and common painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen may also increase sun sensitivity.' The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued yellow heat health alerts for the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London. The yellow heat health alerts are in place until 9pm on Tuesday, but may well be extended as the hot weather continues. While drought-hit parts of England and Wales struggle, more than half a month's rainfall hit north-west Scotland in the last 48 hours, the Met Office said. 'They've seen over 100mm of rain on Friday and Saturday, so the rain isn't far away and there is a little bit of rain in northern England and Northern Ireland today too,' Mr Morgan said. The extreme weather of summer 2026 has included two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June that led to more than 2,800 excess deaths. Two more heatwaves in July, the driest July in England and Wales since records began in 1836, have fuelled drought and wildfires. Nineteen counties across England recorded effectively no rainfall – 1mm or less – across the whole of the month, with half of England and all of Wales plunged into drought.