Search continues for missing 15-year-old at Lincoln lakes

Emergency crews were still searching Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln on Sunday after a 15-year-old boy went into the water and did not resurface. Lincolnshire Police said emergency services were called to the area at 2.30pm on Sunday 24 May 2026 after reports that the teenager was getting into difficulty.

Police said the boy had not been seen since entering the water. The force said its Under Water Search Team was assisting with the operation, while the boy’s family had been informed and was being supported.

Swanholme Lakes sits within Swanholme Lakes Local Nature Reserve, a 63-hectare site beside Hartsholme Country Park. The reserve was formed from former flooded sand and gravel pits and was declared a local nature reserve in 1991. Local background information also identifies it as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, underscoring the environmental sensitivity of the area now being searched.

The City of Lincoln Council describes Swanholme Lakes as a peaceful haven for wildlife, and its visitor centre at Hartsholme Country Park includes exhibitions and interactive features on the wildlife and history of the park and the neighbouring reserve. That setting has now become the focus of a major search as officers work to establish what happened in the water.

Lincolnshire Police urged the public not to speculate or spread inaccurate claims while the search continues. The appeal reflects the pressure that can build quickly around incidents at open-water sites, where families, teenagers and other visitors often gather in warmer weather and where emergency crews must balance speed, accuracy and safety as they search.

The incident has drawn attention once again to the risks posed by lakes and former quarry waters across Lincolnshire. Swanholme Lakes, shaped by its industrial past and now managed as a protected natural area, remains under active search as officers and specialist teams continue their work.