CONCERNS have been raised over teenagers drinking alcohol and swimming in a reservoir, where litter has been left and staff have been abused.

United Utilities has said that rangers had to deal with teenagers at Higher Rid Reservoir in Lostock on Monday.

Rangers have been abused and litter has been left behind and the teenagers have been seen drinking alcohol and swimming in the reservoir.

A teenager drowned and died at Greenbooth Reservoir in Rochdale on Monday night.

People are being warned not to swim in reservoirs due to the hazards it can pose.

United Utilities said that the rangers have been dealing with anti-social behaviour at Higher Rid and the locks on the gates have been cut off.

A spokesman said that a group of more than 20 teenagers were up there swimming on Monday night and when a ranger tried to move them on he was verbally abused.

The group left behind litter and broken bottles and more teenagers were at the reservoir yesterday morning.

The spokesman said: “Unfortunately this is a recurring problem every time there is hot weather, and the tragic events at Greenbooth Reservoir in Rochdale yesterday show how dangerous reservoirs can be. This is why we run a campaign every year to highlight the risks to young people.

“Our message is very simple, don’t take the risk, keep out of the water. We hope people will talk to their teenagers and try to press the message home.”

Sabrina Beckett, the treasurer at Bolton Canoe Club, was up at the reservoir on Monday night with a group of youngsters.

She said she saw more than 50 youths drinking at the site.

She said: “There was a group of 50 plus teenagers aged 15 or 16 upwards. I didn’t see any attitude, there wasn’t any trouble.

“There was a lot of them drinking. They were just hanging out, swimming in the reservoir, they were jumping in off the jetty.

“They’d left a lot of mess, it was carnage. There was cans and bottles on the waters edge.

“I got up there at around 4.45pm and they were already in full flow. There was a lot of them in the water. It is just so dangerous for them to be in the water.”