Pictured: Boy, 15, who drowned in river despite efforts to save him

A teenage boy who died after drowning in a river despite desperate attempts by passers-by to save him has been pictured for the first time.

Police were called to help assist Lotus Bowker, 15, from Kirkham, Lancashire, who had got into difficulty in the water close to Garstang Cricket Club at 2.33pm on Saturday, May 17. 

After receiving CPR from members of the public on the riverbank, the teenager was then airlifted to hospital in a critical condition. 

However, despite medical personnel’s best efforts, he sadly passed away the following morning.

Following Lotus’s tragic death, Maria Mercer, a friend of the young boy’s family, launched a GoFundMe campaign in a bid to help ‘give him the best send off’. 

Describing the devastating incident as an ‘ordinary day’ that ‘quickly turned into an unimaginable nightmare’, Ms Mercer added: ‘Lotus was more than just a teenager – he was a son, a brother, a friend and a shining light in the lives of everyone who knew him. 

‘His smile could lift a room, and his energy was infectious. He had dreams, laughter to share and a whole life ahead of him. That future was stolen in a moment that will never be forgotten.’ 

Lotus Bowker, 15, from Kirkham, Lancashire drowned after getting into trouble in the water near Garstang Cricket Club at 2.33pm on Saturday, May 17. The teenager, who passed away the following morning, has been pictured for the first time amid calls by his family for a greater awareness of the dangers of open water swimming

Given the tragic circumstances of their son’s death, Lotus’s family are now seeking to warn other youngsters about the dangers associated with swimming in rivers and open water. 

Remembering the life of their ‘beautiful boy’, a statement from the family on the fundraising page read: ‘Sadly missed by his Mummy, Daddy, his brothers and sister deeply. Words cannot describe the pain we are going through’.

Lotus’s father, David, has also paid tribute to his ‘lovely boy’, adding: ‘He meant the world to me, my wife, daughter and four sons. 

‘I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. Those waters aren’t meant to be swam in.’

David has now advised any individuals, particularly young people, to ‘think twice before visiting these dangerous locations’, adding that they can often create ‘costly cheap thrills’ that should be avoided, irrespective of social pressures or a desire to feel included. 

One local eyewitness, Nick Hill, previously told the BBC of the horrors that unfolded that fateful day, stating: ‘The area was quickly cordoned off and I saw a police officer interviewing a tearful young girl among a group of backpackers’.

Adding that the section of the River Wyre that Lotus had been swimming in ‘is regarded by the Environment Agency as dangerous with several warning signs’, he further remarked: ‘It is a few yards beyond the flood control gate, a small area of invitingly calm water before a series of weirs.’

Pictured: the River Wyre near Garstang Cricket Club, where emergency services were called to assist Lotus. In a heartbreaking statement, his father David paid tribute to his ‘lovely boy’ saying: ‘I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. Those waters aren’t meant to be swam in’

The retired journalist also said that he had previously seen ‘young boys leaping in from a high vantage point despite the obvious hazard’.

Regarding the tragic incident, DI Adie Knowles, of West CID, said: ‘First and foremost my thoughts remain with Lotus’s loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. 

‘They have lost a son and a brother in the most tragic circumstances and I just want to echo David’s words around water safety. 

‘I’d just ask that people think twice before going into rivers, reservoirs or any form of open water. You are unnecessarily putting your lives at risk, and I really don’t want to have to knock on your parents door to tell them that you won’t be coming home’. 

Any individuals with information related to Lotus’s death should contact Lancashire Police on 101, quoting log 834 of May 17, 2025. 

It comes as new figures released on Wednesday by the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF) indicated that 193 people died from water-related incidents across the UK in 2024.

Up to 84 per cent of the accidental water deaths were male, with inland waters, such as rivers, canals, lakes, reservoirs and quarries, accounting for almost all fatal incidents.