IT SHOULD have been Megan Roberts’ 21st birthday yesterday. Her mum, Jackie, whose 50th birthday was last month, had been planning to take her daughter on holiday.

Instead Jackie, together with other family and friends of Megan, could only remember the young York St John student who tragically drowned in the River Ouse earlier this year. They shared funny stories about her, and lit some candles.

Ever since Megan disappeared while on a night out with friends in January, the question of river safety in York has never been far off the agenda. Since then, three more people – 22-year-old Ben Clarkson, 18-year-old soldier Tyler Pearson, and 41-year-old Dr Mandeep Ahluwalia – have died in York’s rivers.

Their deaths prompted Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan to hold a river safety summit, an update on which will take place on Friday. In the meantime, the families of those who died are left with their grief. For the rest of us, all that can be hoped is that we have taken on board the warnings.

Two off-duty members of the emergency services, meanwhile, have been commended for saving the life of a woman who jumped into the River Ouse at Water End on June 19.

Military firefighter Craig Marsden and British Transport Police Officer James Finch dived into the river, brought the woman to the surface, and kept her head above water by treading water for 15 minutes until paramedics and fire crews arrived.

They each fully deserve their commendations. But the incident served once again to highlight the dangers of York’s rivers.