The body of a man in his 20s who drowned yesterday while swimming at Bedfont Lakes has been recovered by emergency services.

A search operation was launched around 5.20pm yesterday (August 9) following concerns that the young man had entered the water but not returned to shore.

After a wide-spread search carried out by police and firefighters, his body was recovered shortly before midnight.

The man's family has been informed and his death is not being treated as suspicious.

His tragic drowning follows the death of a teenager in nearby Twickenham, who drowned after getting into difficulties swimming in the Thames.

Leader of Hounslow Council, Cllr Shantanu Rajawat, has urged borough residents to stay away from open water. 

He said: "This is a truly tragic incident and our thoughts and sympathies are with the man's family and friends. 

"The safety of visitors to Hounslow's parks and open spaces is of the utmost importance to the Council and its partners.

"Many of our waterside locations have signs stressing the dangers of entering the water and life-preservers on-site, and our park rangers patrol the areas on a regular basis. 

"I urge everyone to please stay out of open water such as lakes, rivers and canals unless it's part of an organised swim supervised by a lifeguard. There are often dangers just below the surface such as plants, branches and strong currents which could leave any swimmer in difficulty. 

"I would like to thank the emergency services for their efforts and Council staff who attended to support those at the scene." 

Each year, an average of 400 people drown in an accident in or around water, according to figures from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. 

However tempting open water looks during a heatwave, advice from Hounslow Council on how to stay safe should be heeded:

• Do not enter any water which is unsupervised – only swim in lakes which have organised swimming with lifeguards present, or use your nearest swimming pool. 
• Take care near the water's edge and make sure children are supervised. 
• Alcohol and water don't mix – one in three drownings is linked to alcohol consumption. 
• Stay calm – if you do find yourself in the water, remain calm and keep your breathing under control. You can do this by floating on your back or paddling to stay on the surface. If someone else is in difficulty keep talking to them and reassure them. 
• Get help – Call 999 and ask for London Fire Brigade and Coast Guard (if on Thames) or ask bystanders to call.