A GROUP of young adults have launched a campaign to raise awareness of cold water shock following the death of a teenager last year.

Project Cold Feet has been set up by National Citizen Service volunteers from Bishop Auckland and surrounding areas.

Members voiced concerns that there is a lack of knowledge on the impact cold water can have on the body.

The group is holding a family fun event Cold Feet Fest at the Agnew Community Centre, in Newton Aycliffe, on Friday (SEPT 2), between 3pm and 10pm.

The fun day will include stalls, a sweet shop and games and at 7pm local bands will be performing. Stalls cost £5.

The group wants to highlight the dangers of water after 14-year-old Cameron Gosling, of Crook, County Durham, died when his body was unable to acclimatise after jumping straight into the River Wear at Witton Park, near Bishop Auckland.

Cameron’s mother Fiona Gosling is expected to be at the event to speak about what happened.

She has been working alongside the emergency services and Durham County Council to raise awareness of the perils of cold water.

As part of the Dying to be Cool campaign, she has shared Cameron’s story and educated children about cold water shock at special assemblies in schools across the county.

Money raised on the day at Cold Feet Fest will go charity, mainly Mountain Rescue.

Group member Rhys Egleton said: “We want to try and make a difference and make sure people understand what cold water shock is. Not many people know what it can do to their body.

“It is serious and rivers are dangerous but it is possible to get cold water shock in your own home, for example in the bath.

“We want to do what we can to help prevent it.”

As part of the awareness campaign, the group has also launched a social media project similar to that of the ice bucket challenge, in which people are filmed standing in cold water for 30 seconds before nominating others to have a go.

For more details, visit the group’s Facebook page NCS Project Cold Feet.