River Ravensbourne in Lewisham. Photo Alex Adey

London Fire Brigade have issued a warning about the dangers of playing in water after three children got into trouble in Lewisham’s River Ravensbourne yesterday evening (April 30 2012). The children, two boys and a girl, were seen in the river near Ravensbourne Park on Brookmill Road by police. They had begun to be swept downstream by the force of the water.

Lewisham’s fire rescue unit sent a boat to assist water rescue teams at Ravensbourne Park and further downstream to Creek Bend on Creek Road. All three children were rescued from the river unharmed after fire crews from Lewisham and the surrounding area attended the incident. A police helicopter was also used to locate the children.

Laurie Kenny, Silvertown station manager, attended the incident and said:  “The bad weather yesterday and higher than usual water levels caused these three children to be swept off their feet.

“Fortunately the two girls managed to get themselves out and we picked the boy up under a bridge downstream from where they had entered the river. But this incident  just goes to show that even if it doesn’t seem particularly deep, if you wade into moving water, it can still be highly dangerous. Our advice is clear –  stay out of the water.”

April has been the wettest in the UK for over 100 years, and flood warnings have been issued in some parts of the country. A man in Newbury, Hampshire died after his car was swept away by a flood caused by heavy rain.

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Lewisham: along the River Ravensbourne