Mum, Jody Brown’s body was found in the canal on Wolverhampton Street, Walsall, in the early hours of Sunday, May 3, and she was sadly pronounced dead at the scene
A “bubbly” mum-of-five tragically drowned after falling into a canal in an “unimaginable tragedy.” Jody Brown’s body was retrieved from the canal on Wolverhampton Street in Walsall the early hours of Sunday, May 3.
Tragically, nothing could be done to save her, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. West Midlands Police stated that they are not treating Jody’s death as suspicious and will be referring the case to the coroner.
In the wake of their “heartbreaking” loss, Jody’s family have called for safety barriers to be installed around the canal basin, reports Birmingham Live. Her brother, Paul Clarke, told the BBC that CCTV footage showed Jody walking along the edge of the canal before she fell in, adding: “I don’t think she could swim.”
Over the years, several individuals – including children – have fallen into the same stretch of water, particularly when duckweed was present. The common pond weed flourishes in warm weather and results in a thick, green, grass-like layer forming across the surface, however the Canal and River Trust said “none has been present in the basin this year.”
Paul told the broadcaster: “We just want better safety measures.” He has now initiated an online petition urging Walsall Council to ‘act swiftly’ to ‘prevent future accidents and save lives’.
As he encouraged people to sign, he said: “My beloved sister lost her life here due to a drowning accident. This unimaginable tragedy has prompted me to act and ensure no other family has to experience such heartbreak.”
He went on: “Many canals across the UK have already been equipped with safety measures like fencing and barriers, reducing the risk of accidents and making them safer for everyone, especially children and non-swimmers.
“With Walsall Canal being located in a busy town centre, it is vital that similar precautions are taken here.”
A spokesperson for Walsall Council said: “We are saddened by this tragic accident and offer our condolences to the family and friends of Jody at this difficult time.
“We understand that the Canal and River Trust, which is responsible for the canal network, is carrying out an internal enquiry.
“We will continue to work with them to understand the circumstances and consider any appropriate measures.”
A Canal and River Trust spokesperson confirmed an internal enquiry would be carried out ‘to understand what can be learned’.
They added: “We will support the coroner in every way we can as the circumstances surrounding Jody’s death are investigated.
“Our charity does not own the land around the basin, so decisions about fencing are not directly within our gift. However, we are committed to working in partnership and have already contacted the local council.
“In recent years, to help improve safety, we have installed a throw line and provided additional throw lines to the businesses around the basin.”
“We have also upgraded the basin’s signage and run water‐safety events with support from the fire brigade.
“On the water space itself, our local team has been doing all it can to keep on top of any weed, and none has been present in the basin this year.”
“Although fencing off the waterfront may appear to be a straightforward solution, in practice it is more complex.
“Safe access to and from the water must be maintained for boaters and others who need to enter the water, and it is also essential to ensure that rescue can be carried out quickly and safely if anyone finds themselves in difficulty. This will be reviewed as part of our investigation.”
A GoFundMe page has also been established to assist Jody’s family with funeral expenses. Nina Patterson, who has organised the fundraiser, described Jody as a “bubbly young lady”.
So far, more than £600 has been collected towards the £800 target.