Mum of toddler who nearly drowned says all kids should learn to swim

The mother of a two year old who fell into deep water at a Cornish beauty spot says all young children should be taught to swim. Ellie Reeves-Shearn was visiting Tehidy Woods near Camborne when her toddler Tollana fell through bracken into a pond. The two year old was able to swim to the surface and use a safety technique to climb out after having swimming lessons since she was just 12 weeks old.

The warning comes during the Royal Lifesaving Society's Drowning Prevention Week. 400 people die from drowning every year, and it is now the third highest cause of accidental death in children.