In 1973 following pressure from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) the Home Secretary set up a working party to look at ways of reducing drowning accidents. Although the rate has fallen since the 1970s, drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death among the under 16s.
This film made Channel 4's 100 Greatest Scary Moments, voted for by the public, shown in October 2003.
In the days before videocassette players were commonplace in UK schools, this was shown to children of junior school age on a projected 16mm film reel, usually with an accompanying touring lecture and Q&A from the local police, local Water Board or from British Waterways. Many public safety information films on various subjects were shown to schoolchildren in this way right up until some time in he 1980s when videocassette copies made the process easier. The films would also sometimes crop up unadvertised and late at night on the BBC but usually too late for young children to be able to watch.