A family has issued an urgent warning after a 13-year-old girl became “violently” ill when she went swimming in the River Severn. Lindsey Hall said her daughter Amelia Deakin-Hall fell ill after she went paddling with a friend in the River Severn earlier this month. The mum-and-daughter duo enjoyed a walk around the Trimpley Reservoir in Bewdley, Worcestershire with Amelia’s friend and her mum on August 11.
After the 3.4-kilometre stroll, the quartet went to the “clear-looking” river close by. Amelia and her friend enjoyed diving and “being silly” in the river, but appeared to have accidentally swallowed some of the water.
Lindsey, a civil servant, said Amelia began to experience awful stomach cramps, was projectile vomiting and couldn't breathe properly. The concerned 45-year-old mum rang 111 and an ambulance was dispatched to check on young Amelia. Her vitals were checked and a GP appointment was arranged where Amelia was given anti-sickness medication.
Lindsey, meanwhile, reported what happened to the Environment Agency and was told the stretch of the river is an “undesignated bathing spot” they are not legally required to test the water quality of. The mum is concerned faecal matter could have been in the water at the time due to overflow from sewage treatment works. Water companies are sometimes allowed to spill some water into open water after heavy rainfall to prevent the system from becoming overloaded.
Severn Trent Water said a number of factors mak.