Robbie Lea: Teen drowned after finding swimming 'hard'

Version 0 of 1.

A 16-year-old boy complained he found swimming "hard" moments before drowning, an inquest heard.

Robbie Lea and a group of friends swam about 30m (98ft) to an island from the banks of a lake in Lee Valley Park, Hertfordshire.

Before getting into difficulty upon his return, Hatfield Coroner's Court heard, Robbie said the swim was "harder than I thought it was going to be".

A coroner concluded his death was accidental.

The court heard Robbie, from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, was not a strong swimmer and had only had a few lessons in his youth.

In evidence heard at the inquest, friend Kieron Cook said he was with Robbie when he had struggled with the swim to the island.

On his way back to the main bank, Kieron said he suddenly heard his friend shouting and swam towards him, but was unable to help.

Meanwhile, another friend who had remained on the bank saw Robbie disappear into the water, the court heard.

Robbie was pulled from the water about 90 minutes after emergency services were first called to the scene.

He was pronounced dead at hospital on 23:00 BST on 25 May last year.

In a statement read to the court, Robbie's mother, Sarah Lea, described her son as "caring and loving and a good big brother."

She added it was "comforting to know he was with his best friends having fun on a sunny day".