A viral video has filmed two male friends enjoying an afternoon of cliff diving in the village of Llanberis in northwest Wales – but the day very nearly takes a dark turn.
The divers can be seen standing at the top of the cliffs readying themselves for the almighty leap into the blue waters below.
One man successfully jumps first and starts to swim off to the side.
His friend, still at the top, prepares for his dive. However, as he moves around the top of the cliff, an enormous piece of rock is dislodged.
The section of the cliff comes crashing down into the waters just a few metres away from where his pal is swimming below.
The rock falls into the waters with an almighty crash, splashing the man in the water he is so close.
Thankfully the rock completely missed the diver – and he swims off unscathed – but had he been slightly slower in his getaway he might have been crushed by the dislodged rock.
The scene was filmed at a slate quarry by mountain rescue expert Mark Humphreys.
Humphreys has said he has released the video in a bid to warn people of the dangers of cliff diving in quarries.
He told Welsh news site the Daily Post: “Basically the quarries are out of bounds for good reason. The rock is unstable as you can see.
“Even if it looks solid big pieces can go. As much as we would want anybody to have fun, we wouldn’t advise people to be messing around in quarries.
“They area is especially unstable and there is also the threat of cold water shock.”
North Wales Police have also warned about playing in quarries.
The force tweeted: “Quarries and lakes are not safe places to swim or dive.
“Parents, please be aware of the dangers. Police will be patrolling these areas in the upcoming summer months.”
Special Constable Chief Inspector Neale Lewis-Jones, who lives locally to Llanberis, commented on the tweet.
He said: “I live and play in Llanberis. What we saw yesterday was potential for loss of life not ‘kids just having fun’. Please, please, can we get the message out there that this is potentially fatal.”
Average UK and Ireland sea temperatures are just 12 degrees Celsius. Anything below 15 degrees Celsius is defined as cold water and can seriously affect your breathing and movement, so the risk is significant most of the year.
To minimise the risk of cold water shock, the RNLI recommends always checking the temperature of water.
If you do enter the water unexpectedly they advise against swimming straight away and instead make yourself relax and try to float on your back while you get your breath back. The initial effect of cold water passes in less than a minute. When you are calm, swim to safety or call for help.
