Burton and South Derbyshire parents have been warned to keep their children safe during the six weeks summer holidays.

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service has urged parents to make sure they always know where their children are playing and what they are doing during the summer break.

With many schools having already broken up and the recent hot weather, the fire service has addressed concerns about groups of children and teenagers seen playing in or around rivers, canals and reservoirs across the county.

This warning comes only weeks after the mother of Hatton schoolboy, Kai Lambe, who drowned three years ago near Tutbury Weir on the River Dove warned parents of the dangers of open water, saying that: "It doesn't matter if you are young or old; water is a killer.

The mother of Kai Lambe, who died in August 2014 when he got into difficulty in a Weir, has shared her story to stop the tragedy from happening to others

"I still see lots of dreadful stories about water-related deaths, especially this third of year and I just want to tell people to be safe."

Now station manager, John Cooke has explained the forces reasoning behind issuing the warning to parents.

He said: “We want everyone to enjoy a safe summer, however unfortunately as an emergency service we often witness the consequences when things go wrong.

“Reservoirs, weirs and lakes can appear so tempting when you’re hot and in need of a cool down, but there are so many dangers that make an outdoor dip life-threatening.

“I’d like to encourage parents, guardians and responsible adults to take a minute to understand the risks and ensure that their children are aware of these too.”

He explained how dangerous open water can be, highlighting hidden currents, fast flowing, deep water and hidden rubbish and debris as dangerous things to look out for in open water.

Away from water, there are a number of construction sites across the county at the moment, which can also be extremely dangerous for children.

Staffordshire developer Barratt Homes West Midlands has sites across the area, including Rugeley, Cannock and Burntwood and have warned children to stay away from the developments.

Steven Cartwright, the company’s construction director has called for parents to take responsibility for making sure their children are safe throughout the summer months.

Mr Cartwright said: “Developers like ourselves are building more new homes at sites all over the country, but until they are completed these places can be dangerous, and with the school summer holidays approaching, children should be told to stay away.

“While we do watch out for youngsters during the day and secure our sites at night, we would like to ask parents to ensure the safety of their children during the holidays, especially if they live near an active building site.”

Barratt Homes regularly visit schools to hold safety talks to try and encourage safety and highlight the hazards of playing near construction sites.