FIRE crews have issued a warning about the dangers of playing in water in the good weather after three men in a dinghy triggered a rescue operation on the Manchester Ship Canal.

The men - one in his late 20s, a 30-year-old and one in his 40s - had been the subject of a 999 call after a concerned passer-by spotted them apparently drifting near Redclyffe Road.

The phone call led to the call-out of several fire crew, a police helicopter and an inshore rescue boat all being deployed at a cost of thousands of pounds.

Mark Donohue, watch manager at Stretford fire station, said: “We do get quite a few people messing about in canals when the weather gets warm.

“But we want to get across that no matter how deep or inviting it may look you should only go in if it is part of an organised activity.”

The men were found by the police helicopter before they disembarked near Barton Swing Bridge, the costs having already been incurred. They were not arrested but were given a severe reprimand by police for their actions.

The warning was prompted by the recent warm weather, which often causes people to head for the waters, and sometimes in unsuitable ways.

During 2009 specialist water rescue units in Greater Manchester attended 97 incidents involving people in distress in or around water.

For more information visit manchesterfire.gov.uk or safe4summer.co.uk.