THE potentially-deadly craze of "tombstoning" came to Derby yesterday as people responded to a heat wave by leaping from a bridge into the River Derwent.
Their actions at Exeter Bridge, outside the Council House, have prompted warnings from councillors, the police, and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
But yesterday afternoon, one of the jumpers, Jamie Humphries, 27, of Westbury Street, Derby, was unrepentant, as temperatures in the city rose over 30C.
He said: "It's a hot day and we wanted to cool down – it's not illegal.
"I come every day of the week – I've been here to swim about 20 times this summer.
"But there's about four of us and we're strong swimmers. I wouldn't recommend anyone who isn't doing this."
Tombstoning is a fast-growing craze in Britain and sees people jumping into water from cliffs, piers and other structures such as bridges.
A Derbyshire police spokeswoman said an officer had advised yesterday's jumpers to stop what they were doing.
But tombstoning is not illegal so officers could not force them to stop.
She said: "We would advise anyone considering jumping from the bridge not to as they risk causing themselves serious injury."
Councillor Martin Repton, cabinet member for leisure and culture, advised "great caution" for people tempted to tombstone.
He said they could be caught up in currents, become stuck in weeds, or "injure themselves on glass or other items in the water".
Mr Repton said: "I understand that when someone is young they want to get involved in exciting things but this is very dangerous.
"I would urge them to use our excellent swimming facilities in the city."
David Walker, leisure safety manager at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: "We understand the temptation to want to go swimming at open water sites, especially during the recent hot weather, but things to consider are that even on a hot day, the water might be a lot colder than you were expecting.
"There may be strong currents and underwater debris you cannot see from the bank that can cause people to get into difficulty.
"It's important to be honest about your swimming ability and remember that, unlike a swimming pool, open water has no depth markings, no fixed depth and you can't always see the bottom. Never jump whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs."
Met Office forecaster Emma Sharples said temperatures were expected to drop today and tomorrow, with "sharper showers" expected in between sunny spells.
She said temperatures rose to 30C yesterday but would now be "in the low 20s".
DANGEROUS ACTIVITYTOMBSTONING is a high-risk experience – and it can have severe and life-threatening consequences, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
It said injuries and deaths as a result of it were a growing problem, with 139 incidents requiring a rescue or emergency response between 2004 and 2008.
Of these, 12 ended in death but a spokesman for the society said, of the others which did not, many resulted in life-changing injuries.
Most of those involved were male, with both young and older fathers among the fatalities, along with three teenagers.
