THE potentially-deadly act of "tombstoning", as seen this week on Derby's Exeter Bridge, should remain legal, according to a Derby Telegraph online poll.
Jumpers plunged off the bridge into the muddy River Derwent waters next to the Council House, on Thursday.
The growing craze of tombstoning, the act of jumping from a structure or cliff into a body of water, is not illegal.
But police and councillors in Derby warned it was dangerous and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said there could be "strong currents and underwater debris that cause people to get into difficulty".
Now our survey has showed that 84% think the practice should be kept off the statute books.
Following the dramatic leaps, Derby North MP Chris Williamson believes an information campaign should be launched to spell out the dangers.
He said: "It is lunacy that people should jump into the river in this way. It is a reckless action.
"Making it illegal is something which could be looked at but you would have to think about how that would be enforced.
"I think a more effective idea would be to have a public information campaign advising of the dangers.
"It is not only themselves that they are putting at risk but also the emergency services, the police and the fire service in particular, in danger if they get into trouble."
There have been 139 incidents of tombstoning that required a rescue or emergency response between 2004 and 2008. Of these, 12 ended in death.
Most of those involved were male, with both young and older fathers among the fatalities, along with three teenagers.
Readers left their own thoughts on the matter on the Telegraph website.
Smshogun posted: "It's happened since bridges were built, so why all the moaning and groaning, and why do the police need to intervene anyway if it's not a criminal offence. Perhaps they should be out catching criminals".
DerbyBornFriday, wrote: "They must have to get out amongst all the duck and swan droppings.
"As for the police, if one of the jumpers gets impaled on a rusted supermarket trolley that one of their kind has thrown in, who would be first to start the rescue attempt?"
Watch video of the jumpers here:Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
