Warning to vandals who put lives at risk by interfering with safety gear near water

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Renfrewshire residents have been urged not to jeopardise the safety of others by tampering with life-saving equipment near water.Councillor Marie McGurk sent an emphatic message ahead of the forthcoming Drowning Prevention Week after police revealed that equipment located at waterways, including life rings at Renfrew’s Bascule Bridge had been targeted.It comes after Sharron Drennan - the mother of 13-year-old William McNally, who passed away after being pulled from the River Gryffe last June - issued a plea earlier this month for youngsters to look out for each other around waterways.Don't miss the latest headlines from around Renfrewshire.

Sign up to our newsletters here.The 50-year-old said: “I want to make a plea to all young people - please make sure your mum doesn’t have to go through what I have.“Please look out for each other and make sure your friends get home safely.”She told how much her son was still missed, adding: “William was, and still is, very much loved and adored.

He is missed by everyone, which was made abundantly clear last year when Linwood came to standstill for his funeral.”William’s aunts, Jayne and Claire Drennan also appeared in a safety video to mark the first anniversary of his death.He passed away in hospital on June 5, 2021, after getting into trouble at a stretch of the river near Houston.Renfrewshire Council recently stepped up efforts to improve water safety across the area, by installing lifebelts armed with GPS trackers at potentially dangerous points, which can be traced by Fire and Rescue services.A ‘no swimming’ warning has also been placed by the site where William got into difficulties.But the measures have been carried out in vain after vandals struck, removing life belts from