Mum begged son not to swim in reservoir waters

DROWNING victim . . . 16-year-old Paul Lawson

THE heartbroken mother of a teenager who drowned in a reservoir has told how she begged him not to go swimming.

Paul Lawson (16) died on Monday night at Greenbooth Reservoir in Rochdale.

It is understood the college student was swimming with pals at the beauty spot near Norden when he got into difficulties.

His friends desperately tried to rescue the Manchester United fan, and underwater search teams were on the scene within minutes, but tragically he didn't survive.

Paul's mum Natalie Lawson, of Wardle, Rochdale, said she had tried to persuade Paul, who has a sister Charlotte (8), not to go to the reservoir.

She said: "It was just a tragic accident. I begged him not to go. I told him waters like that were dangerous, but he wouldn't listen. His friends did all they could to keep him above water, but they couldn't hold him. God knows what they must be going through now."

Natalie added: "You hear about things like this on the news and think: 'What must the parents must be thinking?' and now I'm in that situation, there's just a void. I feel numb.

"How many more families are going to have to go through what I'm going through before kids stop swimming in reservoirs?"

Natalie (35) also paid a touching tribute to her "football mad" son, who played for Hooley Bridge Celtic in Heywood, and was studying a specialist football course at Hopwood Hall College in Middleton.

She said: "He was the life and soul of the party - he always got everyone smiling.

"He had lots and lots of friends, and he would always stick up for them if they were in trouble.

"His sister doted on him - he was her hero. He was a proper big brother, very protective of her and they were really close.

"He helped me through some bad times and was there for the good times. He was my backbone.

"We used to have a lot of banter with each other. Sometimes I was his mum, sometimes I felt like his best friend. He would say: 'You're my trendy young mum' and said he was glad I was only 35 because we'd have lots of years together.

"You couldn't have asked for a better son. He'll always be my baby boy."

Carole Fisher, headteacher at Paul's former school Wardle Academy, also paid tribute.

She said: "Staff and students of Wardle Academy were extremely sad to hear the news about Paul, one of our ex-students.

"All the staff who knew Paul were really proud of all his achievements.

"He was a much-loved young man with a happy and successful life ahead of him. He will be very much missed. Our thoughts are with his family."

Det Chief Insp John Harris said: "My sincerest condolences are with the boy's family at hearing this heart-wrenching news.

"We are working closely with our partners and witnesses to the incident to understand the circumstances."

Anyone with information should contact 101.