Vandals have thrown 800 lifebelts into River Clyde this year, charity says

The family of a man who drowned in the River Clyde have appealed to people to take care near the water, as a lifesaving charity revealed 800 riverside lifebelts have been thrown into the river by “vandals” this year.

Christopher Spiers, 28, drowned after slipping and falling into the river after a night out in Glasgow in 2016.

His death prompted his parents, Duncan and Margaret, to launch a safety campaign to install lifebelts with ropes attached, so they can be retrieved if throws are unsuccessful.

They said: “We should be looking forward to Christmas with Christopher, instead we’ve been grieving for him and mourning for nearly a decade.

“My message to anyone who is going out over the festive period is to please be careful if they are anywhere near the water.

“We wouldn’t wish what happened to us to happen to anyone.”

The Glasgow Humane Society (GHS), the world’s oldest lifesaving charity, warned that removing riverside lifebelts could result in a “fatal outcome” for anyone in trouble in the water.

Duncan Evans, chairman of the GHS, said: “Christmas is the time of year when everyone should be celebrating and enjoying themselves.

“The city’s rivers are fantastic to look at and a huge part of the city’s history and culture.

“But if anyone enters the water, especially after a few drinks, then the sudden cold can shock them into not being able to move, usually with tragic consequences.

“If a passer-by sees someone in the water and looks around for a lifebelt to throw to them, only to find a vandal has removed it, then that could have a fatal outcome.”