died on April 4 after swimming in the water in the London park News | London A south London lake where a teenage boy tragically died less than three weeks ago will reopen to the public FTSE 100 makes further gains as Wall Street rebounds Protest march police 'who face trial by social media need mental health support' Prince of Wales and Prime Minister to attend Pope Francis’s funeral Meet the entrepreneur turning plastic waste into something wonderful Academy football prospect Izaiah Smith, 15, went missing after he went swimming in Beckenham Place Park, Lewisham After a search and rescue mission by specialist divers the teenager’s body was found at 10.40pm the same day He was rushed to hospital by emergency services but sadly died Lewisham Council, which manages the 237-acres park, had closed off the swimming lake since the discovery of Izaiah The incident heightened concern about open water safety particularly as warm weather draws more people to outdoor dipping spots Scotland Yard made a “direct appeal” to the public following the death of Izaiah warning them about the dangers of swimming in unsupervised waters But just weeks after Izaiah’s untimely death the public have now been allowed to return to the swimming lake which operates swimming and paddleboarding at the park revealed that customers will be welcomed back to the lake from Wednesday onwards the company has told those visiting to “respect the privacy and wellbeing of our staff by not approaching them for details Our focus — as always — is to provide a safe The email from PTP coaching read: “We will be reopening Beckenham Lake tomorrow and really hope to see lots of you over the coming weeks “We want to acknowledge the tragic incident that took place at the lake before Easter “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this heartbreaking event we kindly ask that you respect the privacy and wellbeing of our staff by not approaching them for details “Our focus — as always — is to provide a safe and we appreciate your support and understanding.” Lewisham Council told The Standard that they had agreed to reopen the lake on Wednesday Beckenham Place Park has London's first purpose-built swimming lake was opened in 2019 as part of a £6.8 million regeneration project involving the re-development of an old golf course A report last year by the Royal Lifesaving Society revealed there were at least 125 child drowning deaths in England between 2019 and 2023 VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade David Beckham extends olive branch to son Brooklyn amid 'family feud' Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Pregnant Jesy Nelson reveals plans for future in message from her hospital bed after surgery Pregnant Jesy Nelson reveals plans for future in message from hospital 80’s Favourite Festival LET’S ROCK announces a Spectacular line-up for 2025 taking place at BECKENHAM – Place Park on Saturday 2nd August 2025 Mark your calendars for Saturday 2nd August 2025 as this much-loved festival announces a new location of live music With a fabulous line-up of artists to bring you the very best of the 80s and an action-packed day of general 80s madness there is plenty to do for everyone at this Family Friendly Festival family-friendly 80s music festivals since 2009 Don’t miss out on this chance for a retro blast with the very best of the 80s “We are delighted to be announcing Beckenham Place Park for a day of fantastic entertainment for all the family We can’t wait to welcome festival-goers for what will be a memorable day this August.” – Festival Director of Let’s Rock ‘You can expect a full day of 80s hits from a whole host of bands’ – Sunday Mirror ‘Let’s put on a bit of blusher and pretend like the eighties never ended’ – The Times In addition to the incredible music line-up Let’s Rock offers a vibrant selection of independent local vendors offering the best in festival food and drinks ensuring there’s something for every taste and preference Let’s Rock pre-sale tickets go on-sale from Tuesday 29th April @ 10.00am. General sale tickets will be available from Wednesday 30th April @ 10.00am – https://myticket.co.uk/artists/lets-rock Get the latest festival news straight to your inbox: © 2024 TheFestivals | Made in Cymru A Wild Clover Media website | Site map Izaiah Smith was much-loved a- tributes come in after his tragic death A West Dulwich schoolboy described as “uplifting with an infectious smile charm and kindness” who died last Friday after going swimming in a lake at Beckenham Place Park has been named Fifteen-year old Izaiah Smith was a Year 11 pupil at Kingsdale Foundation School in West Dulwich The teenager’s body was found in Beckenham Place Park at 10:42pm on Friday more than seven hours after police were called to reports that the 15-year old was missing after getting into difficulty in the water Parents and staff at the school have set up fundraising page to raise money for Izaiah’s funeral Izaiah’s family wrote: “It is with profound sorrow that we share the passing of our beloved Izaiah; cherished son “Izaiah had a rare gift for uplifting those around him and unwavering dedication to others made every room brighter striving daily to grow both on and off the field and the joy he brought to every moment and everyone.” the SEDA Football Academy in West London were he was a player posted a touching tribute to Izaiah on Instagram saying: “Izaiah was such a bright light within our programme he greeted everyone with the most adorable smile “His huge character and infectious energy will be deeply missed by us all always showing kindness and consideration to all the coaches and staff at SEDA Academy.” He was also a player at Dorking Wanderers FC who said in a post on X: “We are absolutely devastated to learn of the passing of one of our young footballers – Izaiah Smith “It is of course impossible to find the words to explain what a tragedy this is “Izaiah was a hugely popular and talented young man and will be sorely missed by all that knew him “The club will provide support for all involved in whatever way we possibly can friends and teammates at this incredible difficult time.” the headteacher of Kingsdale wrote: “It is with deepest regret that I write to inform you that late yesterday afternoon one of our popular and much appreciated Year 11 students drowned in the ‘swimming pond’ at Beckenham Place Park including those who were present and tried to save him are receiving specialist support and being comforted. “This tragic and shocking loss will raise many emotions concerns and questions for our entire school We ask that at this time the privacy of the family is respected and they are allowed to grieve in peace.” Beckenham Place Park spans 98 hectares and contains large areas of woodland as well as lakes There is a purpose-built swimming lake with depths of up to 3.5 metres.In a statement said the park had re-opened on Saturday but the lake would remain closed with security in place until further notice We'll never send you spam or share your email address Find out more in our Privacy Policy Please enter your username or email address to reset your password Scotland Yard issued advice after the body of Izaiah Smith was recovered from Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham Londoners enjoying the spring sunshine have been warned by the Metropolitan Police of the dangers of swimming in unsupervised waters as temperatures continue to soar Scotland Yard made the “direct appeal” on Monday after the body of a teenage boy was recovered in a South London lake Academy football prospect Izaiah Smith, 15, died after getting into difficulties at Beckenham Place Park Meanwhile, officers are continuing to its “recovery mission” for Kaliyah Coa who disappeared last Monday after falling into the River Thames near the Barge House Causeway These incidents have heightened public concern about open water safety A report last year by the Royal Lifesaving Society revealed there were at least 125 child drowning deaths in England between 2019 and 2023 And the Met’s Marine Policing Unit (MPU) says it is called to more than 140 incidents each month on the Thames alone said people in the city do not always see the dangers that can lurk when diving in He said: “We absolutely understand the natural draw of rivers we have sadly seen a recent rise in incidents where people have got into difficulty — and very tragically hidden hazards and cold-water shock can affect even the strongest swimmers Ch Insp Ranstead added: “The river holds currents stronger than any person and moves at extreme speeds New pictures show dramatic redevelopment of Liverpool Street station Businessman exploited Ukraine war for £6.7m money laundering ring Starmer calls for calm as global markets tumble following Trump’s tariffs “The water may look calm but the tides are extremely strong and fast able to easily drag someone a mile in just ten minutes.” • Do not swim in open water unless it is part of a supervised and safe environment • Never enter the water under the influence of alcohol or drugs • Talk to your children and young people about the risks — many incidents involve teenagers during school breaks or weekends The force has warned anyone in the capital thinking of going into a waterway to “think twice before taking unnecessary risks” “We see the heartbreak and devastation these preventable tragedies cause – with families changed forever in a matter of seconds,” he said “Working with partners we are increasing our visibility and delivering water safety education Lewisham Council reopened Beckenham Place Park on Saturday but the lake remains closed with security in place until further notice Officers were called just after 3pm on Friday to reports that a boy A park in south London has been evacuated as police search for a teenage boy who went missing after swimming in a lake The Met confirmed that officers were called just after 3pm on Friday to reports that a boy The boy’s next of kin has been informed and is currently being supported by specialist officers London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service Teams from Lewisham Council are also supporting officers on site as the search continues into Friday evening emergency services were seen searching the water with raft boats this afternoon A spokesperson for Met Police said: "Police were called at 15:08hrs on Friday "A 16-year-old boy is believed to have got into difficulty in the water and is now missing "Emergency services are currently co-ordinating a search "The next of kin has been informed and are currently being supported by specialist officers The park has been evacuated to facilitate the search." A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called at 3.02pm this afternoon to reports of a person in the water an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team "We are still at the scene working alongside our emergency services partners." A scheme to build tower blocks up to seven storeys high in Beckenham have been hit by over 50 complaints with local residents calling the plans “intimidating and overpowering” Riverside Regeneration and Countryside Partnerships have sent plans to Bromley council for 275 new homes in Calverley Close with blocks ranging between three and seven storeys tall 65 per cent are planned to be “affordable” The new development will include nine blocks and 20 townhouses and involves knocking down the five existing blocks on the site to create 179 affordable homes Plans for the project say the existing estate is “ageing overcrowded” and “no longer fit for purpose” A neighbour to the site said the height of the new buildings would put locals in “almost perpetual” darkness He said: “I know this was raised by concerned residents and was handwaved and dismissed by sneering members of the development team Council documents said that letters notifying neighbours of the plans were sent to 858 addresses surrounding the site last August This came alongside a notice on the site and an initial three-week consultation followed by another round of letters and two weeks of consultation last month Locals have also voiced concerns over how long it will take to build the new homes with council documents saying the construction will last 10 years One resident called the time frame “ludicrous” The neighbour said: “To put in place such a time scale a tenth of a century without accounting for the impact on residents the inconvenience would be astronomical and has not been considered at all.” Countryside Partnerships and Riverside said: “Our initial proposals were subject to a design review with an independent panel of experts and following a public consultation in 2021 we reduced the number of new private homes and the building heights by up to two storeys the council and the local community to take as many views as possible into account and our proposed scheme includes enhanced open spaces new cycle parking provision and car parking spaces with active charging points.” Comments have also been made in support of the plans One neighbour said: “Beckenham (and Bromley as a whole) is in need of more and better affordable homes and I believe this redevelopment will bring genuinely affordable and quality housing for current Beckenham residents.” Another resident said they had been a tenant in the estate since 1988 and were looking forward to moving into a brand new flat A spokesman for the developers said: “We believe the proposals to redevelop Calverley Close will benefit the residents on the estate as well as the local area The proposals will address overcrowding for many of the estate’s existing households and 96 additional homes to meet the needs of the local area “We are pleased that Bromley council’s planning officers have recommended the application for approval saying that the proposals ‘respond well to the surrounding context’ ‘would not give rise to any significant overlooking or loss of privacy’ and ‘would not result in unacceptable impacts on highway safety’.” A Bromley council spokesman said: “The application will be determined at Development Control Committee with the published committee report setting out the officer recommendation for this decision.” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Izaiah Smith was ‘just starting his life’ and greeted everyone ‘with the most adorable smile’ according to his friends and football coaches Tributes have been paid to a teenage boy with “huge character and infectious energy” who died after getting into difficulty in a lake at Beckenham Place Park in south-east London was “just starting his life” while coaches at the football academy Izaiah played for described how he would greet everyone “with the most adorable smile” Officers and paramedics were called to Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham shortly after 3pm on Friday The Metropolitan Police said on Saturday that the search for the 15-year-old had been stopped after he was found on Friday night Specialist diving teams, ambulance crews and firefighters assisted in the search, Scotland Yard said Izaiah’s family have been made aware and are being supported describing him as “hugely popular” and “talented” “We are absolutely devastated to learn of the passing of one of our young footballers - Izaiah Smith It is of course impossible to find the words to explain what a tragedy this is,” the post said “Izaiah was a hugely popular and talented young man and will be sorely missed by all that knew him The club will provide support for all involved in whatever way we possibly can “In the meantime all of our thoughts are with his family friends and teammates at this incredibly difficult time.” Friends have taken to social media to pay tribute to Izaiah and a bright spirit who could light up any room.” Football club pays tribute to boy who died after getting into difficulty in lake who died after getting into difficulty in London park lake is named How Give Your Best aims to solve clothing poverty in the UK Another tribute read: “We just can’t believe it Sending love to his family during this unimaginable time.” a west London football academy where the teenager played said it would “forever cherish the memories we shared with Izaiah” the football academy said: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that SEDA Academy mourns the loss of our beloved U16s player “We are absolutely heartbroken by this news Izaiah was such a bright light within our programme “His huge character and infectious energy will be deeply missed by us all always showing kindness and consideration to all the coaches and staff at SEDA Academy.” Lewisham Council said it was reopened on Saturday but the lake would remain closed with security in place until further notice “We are working closely with the police in order that their investigation establishes the full facts of what’s happened,” the council added The Met said: “A boy was recovered from the lake at around 10.42pm on Friday “He was taken to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead “His death is being treated as unexpected but not believed to be suspicious.” The London Fire Brigade said: “We were called to reports of one person in the water at Beckenham Place Park lake “Five fire engines and around 35 firefighters from Woodside, Lewisham and Euston fire stations attended the scene.” On Monday, 11-year-old Kaliyah Coa went missing in the River Thames near Barge House Causeway in east London These incidents have heightened public concern about open water safety, particularly as warm spring weather draws more people to outdoor swimming spots Figures from the Royal Lifesaving Society revealed that the number of child drowning deaths in England doubled in four years Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy London without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. London beautiful Beckenham Place Park is the Borough of Lewisham’s largest green space As well as areas of ancient woodland and sweeping grass verges you’ll also find the gorgeous Georgian Beckenham Place Mansion here filled with pastel pink and baby blue interiors The building has recently been renovated as an arts cultural and community centre by the people behind Copeland Park and the Bussey Building with a record store a £6.8 million renovation project brought an open swimming lake to the park The council refilled the park’s lost Georgian lake which was originally created by Beckenham Place Mansion’s former resident John Cator in 1800 before being filled in in the twentieth century The purpose-built open-water hangout (the first of its kind in London) is open all year round for swimming and boating with lifeguards in the summer The multi-million-pound project also created a new wet woodland hoped to become a brand new ecological environment for wildlife and renovated the old stable block to become the light and airy Homestead Cafe. Beckenham Place Park is open 24 hours a day The park is completely free to explore. But to swim, an hour session costs £7 for non-Lewisham residents and £4.30 for concessions. They must be booked online in advance, here Swimming’s not the only activity on offer at Beckenham Place Park. There are also paddle boarding sessions on the lake and a dedicated space for skating and BMXing at the Old Bromley Road entrance. Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! tiktok facebook twitter youtube About us Contact us The death is not being treated as suspicious A teenage boy has died after getting into difficulty in a lake at Beckenham Place Park in south-east London Police and paramedics were called to the park in Lewisham shortly after 3pm on Friday following reports of a boy going missing in the water Specialist diving teams, the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended the scene initially reported by police as being 16 years old but later confirmed to be 15 was recovered from the lake at about 10.42pm He was rushed to hospital but was sadly pronounced dead shortly afterwards A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said on Saturday: "His death is being treated as unexpected but is not believed to be suspicious His family are aware and continue to receive support." A search operation at the lake was stood down following the tragic discovery A schoolboy described as “popular and much appreciated” has died in a lake at a Lewisham park Police said they were called shortly after 3pm yesterday (Friday April 4) to Beckenham Place Park after reports the 15-year old was missing after getting into difficulty in the water The teenager’s body was recovered at around 10:45pm that night ambulance crews and firefighters assisted in the search “A boy was recovered from the lake at around 10.42pm on Friday April 4,” a Met spokesperson said “He was taken to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead His death is being treated as unexpected but not believed to be suspicious.” The boy’s family have been made aware and are being supported He has not been named and the boy’s headteacher asked at this time the privacy of the family is respected Officers removed police tape around the lake on Saturday morning and have left the scene the boy’s headteacher wrote: “It is with deepest regret that I write to inform you that late yesterday afternoon one of our popular and much appreciated Year 11 students drowned in the ‘swimming pond’ at Beckenham Place Park are receiving specialist support and being comforted “This tragic and shocking loss will raise many emotions We ask that at this time the privacy of the family is respected and they are allowed to grieve in peace.” There is a purpose-built swimming lake with depths of up to 3.5 metres Teenager was recovered from lake in Beckenham Place Park and taken to hospital A 15-year-old boy has died after he “got into difficulty” in a lake in south-east London the fire service and paramedics were called to Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham shortly after 3pm on Friday 4 April after reports of a boy going missing The police said on Saturday that the search for the boy who they originally thought to be 16 but have now confirmed to be 15 He was recovered from the lake at 10.42pm on Friday and was taken to the hospital His death is being treated as unexpected but not believed to be suspicious “His family are aware and continue to receive support,” police said.