Thousands of people have signed a petition calling for safety barriers to be put up alongside canals across Greater Manchester.
A body was discovered in Rochdale Canal by underwater divers on Friday the 2nd of March as police searched for missing University of Manchester student, Charlie Pope.
The 19-year-old went missing on a night out on Thursday the 1st of March and police believe that the body that was discovered is Charlie’s, though a formal identification has yet to take place.
Neal Keeling, Chief Reporter at The Manchester Evening News, was one of the thousands to have signed the petition and wrote on the change.org website: “I have reported too many deaths of young men in the waterways of Greater Manchester and the city centre as reporter at MEN.”
Jodie Whipday, another petition signatory, also wrote on the site: “I live in Manchester and the safety precautions around the canal are none existent. This is happening too often in the city of Manchester.”
By Thursday the 8th of March, the petition titled ‘Put barriers up on the Manchester canals’ had over 30,000 signatories and many have shared their support on social media using the hashtag “#makecharliethelast.”
Charlie People’s father, Nick Pope, has endorsed the online campaign and told BBC Radio Manchester: “We are not going to stop – we don’t want anyone to go through we have been through.”
Police took Nick Pope to the spot where his son’s body had been found and Nick told the BBC: “It was icy and there were no barriers. I was astonished how dangerous it was.”
“I had no idea – people are stumbling out of bars and falling into canals. We could put up barriers in key areas where all the bars are.”
He added: “If this was a company the Health and Safety Executive would have shut it years ago.”
Manchester city councillor Pat Karney told the BBC that the whole canal network could not be fenced off but certain measures could be introduced.
He said: “We have done it at the top of the village area as we had a particular problem and so far it has stopped fatalities up there.
“But I will look at the petition and talk to them and see what measures we can come up with.”
Touching tributes have been paid to the teenager with candles, messages and flowers left alongside the canal.
An open bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale was also left in recognition of the first-year Social Sciences student’s links to the North-East.
Commenting on the discovery of the body believed to be Charlie’s, a spokesperson from the University of Manchester said: “We are all very saddened to hear this tragic news and the university will be providing any support and assistance we can to Charlie’s friends and family.”
