THE grieving parents of Naomi Sims called for urgent safety improvements to the River Glyme on the eve of her funeral.

Naomi, ten, died after she fell into the river while playing with a friend on a public footpath in the Water Meadows close to her home in Bear Close, Woodstock. She was washed into the fast flowing waters of a sluice and trapped underwater against a drain.

She was pulled from the water after 20 minutes by firefighters but died later in Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital.

The Water Meadows are owned by Woodstock Town Council and at last night's monthly meeting the Mayor councillor Ian Baxter led a minute's silence by councillors before reporting on the tragedy.

The meeting was attended by Naomi's mother Bridget Hogg, father Paul Sims, and step-father David Hogg.

Mrs Hogg told the meeting: "All water is dangerous but my understanding is that it took three firemen to get Naomi out. If only there had been something to stop water going through the sluice the first person to arrive could have got her head up."

She said Naomi was a strong swimmer and she believed she would have been able to get herself out of danger if she had not fallen in so close to the sluice. Naomi's family suggested covering the drain, putting in underwater handholds and placing railings on the river bank nearby with warning notices and lifebouys.

Councillors agreed to take whatever safety measures were needed.

Naomi's funeral was taking place at 2.30pm today at St Mary Magdalene Church, Woodstock.

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