Firefighter remembers deaths of schoolgirls Chloe Fowler and Tonibeth Purvis on World Drowning Prevention Day

A firefighter who has dedicated his life to promoting water safety has recalled the dreadful day two teenage girls drowned ten years ago.

Schoolgirls Chloe Fowler, 14, and Tonibeth Purvis, 15, died after getting into difficulties in the River Wear at Fatfield on July 23, 2013.

Tommy Richardson was on duty when the pair were recovered from the river.

He described his memories of the tragedy to mark World Drowning Prevention Day today, Tuesday. July 25.

Tommy was based at Byker fire station with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service's water rescue section when he was sent to the scene as part of the night shift.

By that point, Chloe and Tonibeth had been missing for around three hours: "The place was just awash with television crews and emergency vehicles when we arrived," he said.

"The tide had turned and the water levels started to drop, which gave us some better visibility.

"The message came over the radio that one of the girls had been found, though we weren't sure which one it was. Then we heard about half an hour later that the second girl had been recovered.

"It does stay with you."

The tragedy made Tommy, now 52, realise the importance of water safety education: "I was a father of three boys, two of whom were about the same age as the girls, but to be honest, I had never spoken to them about water safety - even though that was my job," he said.

"When I got home, we sat down and had that conversation.

"I now have a four-year-old granddaughter and we talk to her all the time about what Grandad does. She has had training from a very young age."

Tommy is still with the fire service but now works full-time in water safety education. In 2017, he set up the country's first Waterside Responder scheme, providing waterside businesses with life-saving throw bags and training staff in their use.

The scheme soon caught the attention of the RNLI and has now gone national.

Just last month, staff at the River Bar in Fatfield - close to where Tonibeth and Chloe drowned - used their training to rescue a man who had fallen into the river, the eighth person in the region to be saved thanks to the scheme.

"The equipment is provided by the RNLI and I can train you in how to use it in about 20 minutes," said Tommy, who was awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal in 2019 for his services to promoting water safety.

To sign up for the Waterside Responder scheme, visit https://rnli.org/pages/the-rnli-waterside-responder-scheme/sign-up#contact-details