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A warning was issued after a group of people were seen trying to swim in the River Trent. Nottingham City Transport bus driver Matthew Wood explained that he was concerned to see people preparing to go into the water near the Wilford Toll Bridge on their way home from work on Monday March 27.

The 48-year-old man stated that he and another man approached the three men to inform them how “dangerous” the river can be. He said: “Another man and I went and explained the dangerous situation and there have been a few deaths and one quite recently.

“At that point, one came in and was waist high and was planning to swim the other way, but after we talked, he came out. They were students and they never knew how dangerous it was.”

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The group said they were not aware of the dangers. Matthew added: “I was very concerned for their safety if they had tried to swim back and forth. I haven’t reported it, but I saw a community police officer around the corner and told him.

“He said it’s quite common and they patrol there regularly and stop them, and he was going to look. I remember a few years ago someone died.

“They see the calm surface, but they don’t realize the undercurrent and debris you can get caught in.” Speaking about the safety concerns surrounding the River Trent, a spokesperson for The Canal and River Trust said: “The River Trent is a great place to visit, particularly when the weather improves, but we wouldn’t recommend swimming.

“While the water may seem tempting, there can be hidden dangers below the surface, including currents, underwater obstructions, and extremely cold temperatures that can cause problems for even the strongest swimmers. Our advice is to stay in the pool or find a organized open water”. swimming group where there are adequate security measures”.

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