| Ponds have been given bad press in the media of | | | | safe with parental supervision and a bit of common |
| late and rather unjustly I think. Water moving or still, | | | | sense. A child can't drown if they are with the parent |
| swimming pool or pond has a fasination for children | | | | or a responsible adult. If you're going to let your child |
| of all ages. Children weather attracted by the wildlife, | | | | roam unsupervised in the garden then you should |
| the cool water or the pretty sounds or ripples, do | | | | remove all dangerous elements and with that all |
| love water and its not surprising that children do | | | | interesting features. Garden ponds are a source of |
| drown in ponds throughout the country. | | | | great inspiration, and a great educational tool, we all |
| If we look at the statistics we see many greater | | | | remember the lifecycle of the frog we were taught |
| threats to our children than ponds. The Rospa (The | | | | at school don't we. |
| royal society for the prevention of accidents) | | | | What can we do to ensure safty in our pond even |
| Statistics for 2002 on drowning show a total of 427 | | | | for the children of visitors? |
| deaths by drowning only thirteen of these in garden | | | | Well we have a number of options here, when |
| ponds. That's 3% and I would think this statistic will | | | | designing your pond you could raising the pond with |
| have gone down since the start of the their pond | | | | brickwork., this prevents the child mearly running into |
| safety campaign. | | | | it with out seeing it, and can keep out smaller children |
| As a pond maintenance expert I regularly get called | | | | completely.For larger children a raised fence on top of |
| to take out garden ponds by parents worried about | | | | the raised brickwork will keep them safe whilst they |
| their Childs safety. But two factors make this overly | | | | can still see the fish, this applies well to koi ponds or |
| cautious reaction hysteria. Most of the children | | | | ornamental ponds in terraced gardens but in wildlive |
| drowning in garden ponds acctually drown in a | | | | ponds and ponds in more natural surroundings |
| neighbours or friends pond. So removing your own | | | | brickwork would not look so good.In these |
| pond is a kneejerk reaction, when you know your | | | | circumstances a metal or plastic grid is better, you |
| own pond is there and take the appropiate | | | | can have a custom built metal grid made my a |
| precautions. | | | | blacksmith which compliments the pond perfectly or |
| In 2004 statistics show 11 deaths by falls in the | | | | you can get a plastic grid which sites below the |
| under 14s alone. If you look around any garden there | | | | surface and are almost completely unseen. There are |
| are many accidents waiting to happen. Sharp or hard | | | | a few companys that make and install these and |
| stones in the rockery, uncapped bamboo stakes, | | | | being far from cheap the're cheaper and easier to |
| allergic reactions to insect stings, unlocked gates | | | | manage than a metal grid. And on the subject of |
| leading to the road, unsecure play equipment, | | | | price what price would you put on a Child's safety. |
| improperly stored garden chemicals, Im sure you can | | | | The contact numbers of a few of the companies |
| think of more. | | | | who make pond safety grids are below |
| All these dangers including the pond can be made | | | | SafaDeck (01623) 428873. |