Northumbrian Water Limited

Private and voluntary organisations · Private limited company

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First report 2 Oct 2014•Latest report 2 Oct 2014

Reports, concerns and published responses

Reports over time

Reports naming this recipient by issue year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Reports
1

Naming this recipient

Published responses
0%

Found for named reports

Concerns addressed
0

Across all linked responses

Stated actions
0

Described in responses

Concerns and recipient responses

Statements from Northumbrian Water Limited linked to the concerns in each report. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. Northumberland (South)

    AI-generated summary

    Darren William Thorpe and 2 others · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    On 11 May 2014, Darren William Thorpe, Gavin Thomas Bradley and Mark Thorpe entered the River Tyne in a kayak and failed to return; their bodies were later located downstream of Riding Mill weir. The inquest concluded that all three died by drowning in accidental deaths. The substantive concerns related to the weir’s design, the availability of a suitable upstream landing area with warnings, and other steps to prevent similar deaths.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Northumbrian Water Limited; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of a suitable upriver landing area for exiting the river during heavy flow

    Wider context from the report

    “(2) Evidence was given that on a previous visit to the River Tyne the men had exercised due caution in negotiating the weir by alighting upriver of the weir. It was felt that the most likely interpretation of the known circumstances was that the kayakers had been unable to exit the river because of the flow of water. Would it be feasible to construct a suitable landing area, accompanied by appropriately worded warnings, sufficiently far upriver to enable an exit from the river even at the time of a heavy flow of water? ”
    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Northumbrian Water Limited; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of a canoe and kayak passage channel at the Riding Mill weir

    Wider context from the report

    “(1) Evidence was given that in other countries within Europe, weirs are constructed with a specific channel to allow the passage of canoes and kayaks without encountering the tow back, or stopper, caused by the anti-scour sill at the foot of the weir. Would it be feasible to amend the design of the Riding Mill weir to incorporate such a channel? ”
    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Northumbrian Water Limited; that does not assign responsibility.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Lack of appropriately worded warnings about river exit conditions

    Wider context from the report

    “(2) Evidence was given that on a previous visit to the River Tyne the men had exercised due caution in negotiating the weir by alighting upriver of the weir. It was felt that the most likely interpretation of the known circumstances was that the kayakers had been unable to exit the river because of the flow of water. Would it be feasible to construct a suitable landing area, accompanied by appropriately worded warnings, sufficiently far upriver to enable an exit from the river even at the time of a heavy flow of water? ”
    Open source report
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Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026