Youngsters urged to celebrate exam results safely

13/08/2026

As young people hope to be celebrating and looking to the future after collecting their exam results, they are being reminded to stay safe while enjoying themselves.

With the hot weather set to continue, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging everyone planning celebrations to think twice about lighting fires and BBQs on dry grassland and avoid entering open water, especially with the ongoing incident at Holme Fen.

Last year 16-year-old Jack Lloyd tragically lost his life after jumping into open water near Peterborough, after succumbing to cold water shock. Jack’s story has been highlighted in a powerful short film made by the Service in partnership with Peterborough City Council. Jack’s father Darren gives a heartbreaking account of the impact the incident has had on him and his family. Fire and police officers also talk about the impact of these incidents, as well as giving advice about what to do to stay safe around open water.

Area Commander Rob Olivier, lead for Community Fire Safety, said: “Collecting GCSE and A-Level results is a big day and often a cause for celebration. Combining this with the hot weather we’re experiencing, it can be very tempting for young people to want to celebrate and head to areas with open water. It is however really important for parents to remind their children of all ages of the dangers of entering the water.

“Our film Cold Water Shock – When Fun Turns Fatal tells the tragic story of Jack Lloyd to try and reach young people by showing the potential tragic consequences of jumping into open water, as well as giving advice about what to do if they see someone in trouble. We would really encourage young people to view the film, and urge parents to help with this.”

Statistics show that child drowning deaths in England have doubled since 2019-20. Between April 2019 and March 2024, a total of 165 children lost their lives to drowning.

The half term week at the end of May saw more than a dozen people lose their lives in water across the country, most being between the ages of 11 and 17.

In Cambridgeshire there were nine in-water deaths last year, compared with seven the previous year. Teenagers aged between 13 and 17 have the highest drowning rate of any age group.

With the hot, dry weather continuing enjoying a BBQ in an open space can also be a tempting way to celebrate picking up good results.

Rob added: “Having a BBQ is a great way to get together to celebrate with friends, but they can easily lead to a fire if people don’t follow some basic safety tips. Things like keeping the area supervised and lighting the BBQ away from fencing, buildings and garden furniture, keeping a bucket of water close by, and only disposing of the charcoal ashes once completely cooled. Also not placing a BBQ directly onto the ground helps prevent it from catching fire and spreading.

“It’s not just BBQs that can cause fires in the open. Leaving glass bottles laying on the ground after celebrations can reflect sunlight and accidentally set the ground on fire. Also carelessly discarding cigarettes on the floor without fully extinguishing them can also catch on grass and quickly cause a fast-spreading fire. By simply clearing away rubbish and taking care when celebrating can help prevent a fire.

“We have been responding to a major fire since the weekend and this looks set to continue for the next week or so, meaning our crews are already busy tackling a fire. We really urge people to avoid entering the water and parents to speak to their children to explain the dangers, showing our film where possible.”