Warning children not to play near ‘dark and lonely’ water, a horror film style look and voiceover is used in this film to highlight the dangers.
An ominous sounding Donald Pleasance voices the ‘Spirit’ of the water, a Grim Reaper figure ready to bring death to ‘the show off’, the ‘fool’ and those ignoring no swimming signs.
In 1973 following pressure from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) the Home Secretary set up a working party to look at ways of reducing drowning accidents.
Although the rate has fallen since the 1970s, drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death among the under 16s. (Source: RoSPA, August 2004)
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Lonely Water
Transcription
VOICE: I am the Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water, ready to trap the unwary, the show-off, the fool, and this is the kind of place you’d expect to find me.
VOICE: But no-one expects to find me here… it seems too ordinary. But that pool is deep. The boy is showing off. The bank is slippery.
VOICE: The show-offs are easy. But the unwary ones are easier still. This branch is weak, rotten, it’ll never take his weight.
VOICE: Only a fool would ignore this. But there’s one born every minute. Under the water there are traps. Old cars, bedsteads, weeds, hidden depths. It’s the perfect place for an accident.
BOY: Oi look there’s someone in the water. Get us that big stick to get him out.
VOICE: Sensible children! I have no power over them!
BOY: Oi mate that’s a stupid place to swim. Hey go over there and get that thing to wrap him in.
BOY: You don’t half feel cold mate. How long was you in there?
VOICE: I’ll be back (heavy echo repeats)