AN MP has called for a review of river safety in York after three people tragically lost their lives in eight days.

And the mum of a young woman who died in the Ouse five years ago has also appealed for a fresh campaign to raise awareness of the dangers posed by the river and the River Foss.

The body of missing York man Lee Evennett was recovered from the Foss last Saturday.

A woman in her 70s was discovered in the Ouse on Friday, and the body of a man was recovered from the river near Blue Bridge on Sunday.

A woman was also rescued from the Ouse near Lendal Bridge on Saturday evening.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell said last night: “Clearly we don’t know all the details yet, but it has really concerned me.

“I do believe that there needs to be a fresh review and we need to understand the wider vulnerability issues. It is time to review and ensure that we draw on best practice on river safety.”

Jackie Roberts, who campaigned for river safety after her daughter Megan died in the Ouse following a night out in January 2014, said it was sad to see yet more deaths in the rivers.

She said: “Obviously, the circumstances around each of the recent deaths in York’s rivers are different, but that does not make them any less tragic. Every incident is different, but each time somebody will be grieving for a lost loved one.

“The most important factor in prevention is education and training. Someone has to die before anything gets done, and it tends to be grieving relatives who have to find the energy to try and make things happen.”

City of York Council has ruled out putting up railings alongside the river. A spokeswoman said the authority will continue to work with organisations to improve river safety.

Tom Brittain, the council’s assistant director for community safety, said: “Our sincere sympathies go to the families affected by the recent river fatalities.

“Whilst placing railings along the entire length of York’s rivers is not practical, given that much of the land is in private ownership, we continue to work proactively to improve river safety in the city centre and to ensure that appropriate preventative measures are taken.”

The council carried out a review in 2014 to improve river safety and Mr Brittain said the York Rescue Boat and vigilance of door staff at riverside businesses have been “extremely successful in preventing potential fatalities”.

Dave Horn, the boat’s senior operations manager, said various measures had already been introduced to improve safety in recent years, including new ladders to help people get out of the water.

Guildhall councillor Janet Looker said the recent deaths were “worrying” but there was public reluctance to seeing the river fenced off, adding: “There was some additional fencing put up at key areas where it was felt there was a bigger risk of someone falling in.”

Micklegate councillor Lars Kramm added: “Every tragic case is different and there is no way to prevent all the cases if you do not want to cage in the river completely.”

“Across all parties preventing death in the river is a major concern and there are measures we have already put in place in the last years like better-maintained rescue equipment, updated and replaced grab rails and chains and more and better integration between the rescue services and with the wonderful rescue boat team.”