Child dies in tragic paddling pool accident in Co. Roscommon

The family have appealed for privacy at this extremely difficult time

It's every family's worst nightmare. A tragic accident has taken place in Roscommon in which a toddler has died. The 23-month-old boy is said to have drowned in a paddling pool at his family home.

It's unthinkable, but a stark reminder to all of us about the dangers of even the smallest amount of water when it comes to our children. The following advice, issued by the HSE for water safety at the home, is worth having fresh in our minds.

• Empty, fence off or safely cover anything that can collect water. These include ponds, barrels, water troughs, buckets and basins
• Never leave a child alone in a paddling pool
• Empty paddling pools after use and store them so that they cannot fill with rain water
• Be aware of puddles - remember children can down in small amounts of water
• Never leave children alone on a farm
• Fence off exposed areas on farms, including slurry pits
• Remind children to stay away from edges - shortened to SAFE

Our thoughts are with the family at this awful time.