Emergency services have called for people to take care in and around the water after multiple reports of people jumping off Walney Bridge.

Furness Coastguard were paged on Saturday at 8.43pm where the team met with Cumbria Police, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service and North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust at Ferry pitching.

A Furness Coastguard spokesman said: “As the team started searching for the person, two people were spotted clinging to a vessel in the channel north of jubilee bridge.

“Barrow Lifeboat had launched their Inshore Lifeboat to assist and were directed in towards the two people by the Coastguard Officer in Charge (OIC), however as the lifeboat was closing in the persons let go of the boat and swam towards the Barrow side of the channel where they exited the water.

“Two Coastguard Mud Rescue Technicians were kitted up and ready to deploy on the Fire Brigades RIB as Barrow Lifeboat stood by maintaining visual contact with the two people who were now slipping and becoming stuck in the mud. Thankfully the people managed to get safely ashore where they were met by Cumbria Police, and it was established that neither of them was the person who had jumped off the bridge.

“With Arnside & South Lakes Coastguard Rescue Team and Millom Coastguard Rescue Team in attendance the joint Coastguard teams, along with Barrow Lifeboat began to search for the person who had jumped when further information was received that they had been witnessed safely leaving the water by a member of the public.

“This was a very complicated incident, with two people swimming in the channel, diverting the search team’s attention to a potential mud rescue on an incoming tide, while they were searching for a person who had jumped off the bridge. Thankfully this incident ended with positive outcomes but, as we have unfortunately witnessed recently, this is not always the case.

“We urge everyone to take care around our coast, and as so many people did in this case, if in danger, or you think someone else is, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”

This comes shortly after the body, suspected to be a swimmer, was found in Crummock Water.

Will Richardson, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service’s Group Manager, Head of Community Safety, said: “The recent months have presented considerable and tragic incidents at our waters throughout Cumbria. We urge the public to understand the dangers which our waters can present, to learn the importance of knowing how to float to live, and to call 999 if others are in trouble if there is a water related emergency."