FIREFIGHTERS have taken The Press’s “Think, Don’t Swim” campaign out to thousands of students at York St John University.

Yesterday’s campaign launch coincided with the university’s freshers’ fair, attended by most of the 1,900 new students and also by many in their second and third years.

Community safety officers Ian Calvert and Stuart Moss, who had a stand at the day-long fair in the university’s sports hall, took the opportunity to ram home the message about the dangers of jumping or falling in the River Ouse and Foss.

They said the fire service had been called out to 37 incidents on the rivers so far this year – equal to about one rescue a week – and in the past year there had been a number of deaths, including students. “Unfortunately, an increasing number of people, and young males in particular, find the attraction of jumping into the river all too tempting, especially when they have been drinking,” they said in a leaflet.

Ian said students arriving in York to study for the first time were often unaware of the dangers presented by the rivers. “They don’t know about the dangerous undercurrents,” he said.

The campaign was sparked by the death of a former St John student Richard Horrocks, who drowned after jumping into the Ouse from the balcony of a city centre bar in July.

Richard’s sister, Abbi, who with her mother, Vicki, is backing the campaign, is a second year student.

Neil Rogers, the university’s health and safety officer, said he fully supported the campaign, and said he would ensure posters produced by The Press went up around the campus.

Dan Ridsdale, vice president, education and welfare at the Students’ Union, also offered his full backing.

He said: “We believe all residents of York need to have good awareness of the hazards associated with the Rivers Ouse and Foss. “At certain times and under certain circumstances the rivers can pose many dangers and we want our students to be fully alert at all times.”