The owner of an outdoor activities company, who helped rescue two women and their children after falling out of their canoe, called the number of water-related incidents he has witnessed during his time in the Lake District "unprecedented".

Owner of Keswick Adventures, Lee Simpson spotted the group in distress on Derwentwater just days after he had witnessed two other water-related incidents.

He first noticed something was wrong when he heard someone "screaming at the top of their lungs".

"When we turned around, we saw this upturned canoe and just went in two canoes and a paddle board," said Lee.

"I think there were four kids in total - one being one or two-years-old - and I plucked two of them straight out and put them in the boat with me.

"One of the other guides plucked the other two kids out and we left one [guide] with the women."

The guides got the group back to the shore safely.

However, Lee was keen to highlight the the seriousness of the situation saying: "I certainly think that incident had the potential to be a fatality if we hadn't have been at the location at the time."

In fact, this was the third rescue this year that Lee and his team have had to assist in on Derwentwater alone.

He added: "It's definitely a concern.

"It's unprecedented. I've never witnessed anything like this."

As summer temperatures increase alongside the number of visitors coming to the Lake District, so have the number of water-related incidents in Cumbria.

Head of Visitor Services with the Lake District National Park Authority, Tony Watson, said: "So far this year we have seen an increase in people coming to the Lake District to swim and take part in other water activities. Remember, our lakes are still very cold and deep even when the sun is shining.

"We would encourage everyone to know their limits and keep themselves and other lake users safe. We have a list of top tips for keeping safe in and on the water on our website and we’d ask people not to swim if they have been drinking alcohol."

A spokesperson from the Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said: "Last year alone 254 people died in the UK waters from accidental drownings across inland and coastal locations. Almost half (43 per cent) of those who accidentally drowned in 2020, had no intention to enter the water.

"Even on a hot day, the water can be a lot colder than you were expecting and lead to cold water shock, which is when sudden immersion makes you gasp and breathe in water, and this can easily lead to getting into difficulty.

"Also, at inland water sites there may be underwater debris that you cannot see from the bank. This can result in getting caught and trapped leading to injury.

"Always consider how you are going to get out of the water before you get in, and be realistic about your swimming ability.

"RoSPA's advice is to go swimming at properly-supervised sites, such as beaches, lidos or swimming pools, although we appreciate that not everyone can get to these locations."

For more information on water safety, visit www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/things-to-do/water/swimming.