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Warning signs replaced before Thorpe Marshes deaths Thorpe Marshes Reserve deaths teenagers named
(about 5 hours later)
Vandalised "do not swim" signs around a nature reserve lake were replaced days before two teenagers died there, it has emerged. Two teenagers who died after getting into difficulties in a lake at a wildlife reserve in Norfolk have been named by police.
The pair, a boy and a girl, had been swimming at Thorpe Marshes Reserve near Norwich when they got into difficulties in the water, Norfolk Police said. The bodies of Bonheur Musungay, 14, and Stella Kambi, 17, were recovered from the water at Thorpe Marshes Reserve near Norwich on Wednesday evening.
Norfolk Wildlife Trust said new warnings had been put up on Monday. Police said they were "close friends" who had been out with a family group.
Director Brendon Joyce said: "We put up several signs last year and they've been repeatedly vandalised." Norfolk Wildlife Trust said vandalised "no swimming" signs at the site had only been replaced two days before.
The signs, which could be seen at the lake on Thursday, read: "Do not drink the water, swim or allow pets in the water". Emergency services and search teams were called at about 16:50 BST and the children's bodies were recovered at about 19:20 BST.
'Too common' Norfolk Police said inquiries were continuing and post-mortem examinations would be carried out.
Mr Joyce said: "Our first thoughts are with the family and friends of the two teenagers. 'Hidden dangers'
"We are unclear as to exactly what took place that led to such very sad circumstances. Det Sgt Sarah Knights said: "Without wanting to pre-judge what has happened, I would urge people to take the utmost care around water and to be aware of hidden dangers such as fast-flowing currents and underwater obstacles and weeds."
"We would not want to speculate, but rather await further information from the emergency services." One girl, who was visiting the site at Thorpe St Andrew with her father earlier, said the lake was a "popular swimming spot".
Mr Joyce said they would be checking if all the new warning signs were still in place and said the "do not swim" warning was also on its website. "Often kids from school will come down here and come back with wet hair," she told the BBC.
Emergency services were called to the reserve at about 16:50 BST on Wednesday, and the children's bodies were found after a search. Norfolk Wildlife Trust said it had had ongoing problems with its "no swimming" warning signs being destroyed and had replaced three sets in a year.
Paul Chamberlain, from Norfolk Search and Rescue, said: "It seems to be an all too common incident. On 21 July, five signs were put at the reserve entrance and on the bank and in the water where people were known to swim, but they had all disappeared by 6 August.
"People are tempted in to these particularly blue and clear-looking disused gravel workings for a swim, and we experienced the results of this with the tragic events that happened." By Monday, two new ones were put at the entrance and one in the water and trust chief executive Brendon Joyce said they were still in place.
Norfolk Police has yet to confirm the ages of the children, who were believed to be related. "Our first thoughts are with the family and friends of the two teenagers," he said.
"We are unclear as to exactly what took place that led to such very sad circumstances."
He said that in response to the repeated vandalism they have been trying different signs and locations for them at the lake.
"We [also] have a much larger vandal-proof sign being produced which features safety warnings and general information about the reserve, but we're not sure where we're going to put it at the moment."
Mr Joyce said the "do not swim" warning was also on its website.