Woman, 33, died after going swimming in Strinesdale Reservoir

At Rochdale Coroners’ Court on Monday (November 10), an inquest was held into the death of Kimberley Johnson on August 17 this year.

During a brief hearing, Joanne Kearsley, senior coroner for Manchester North, summarised the events surrounding Ms Johnson’s death.

Ms Johnson, 33, was a machine operative who lived on Scholes Street, Oldham, and had been with her partner Daniel Doherty for “five to six years” the court heard.

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to The Oldham Times’ morning and evening newsletters as well as our breaking news alerts

Born in Rochdale, Ms Kearsley said Ms Johnson’s father, Gary Langston, believed his daughter was “not a good swimmer” and that as a child, she suffered from “bad ear infections and hated going into the water”.

Ms Johnson, who had three children, and Mr Doherty had travelled to Strinesdale Reservoir on August 17 and Ms Johnson had consumed two beers and some cannabis.

According to evidence read out in court, Mr Doherty said Ms Johnson had got into the upper reservoir and then got out, before she later went in for a second time.

On this occasion, Ms Johnson was said to have swam “too far out” by Mr Doherty, having entered the water via a wall where there was a sign which read “danger deep water”.

Rochdale Coroners’ Court (Image: Newsquest)

After swimming for two to three minutes, Ms Johnson was said to have shouted: “Dan, I can’t do it.”

The court heard Mr Doherty could not swim and so stood in the water and tried to reach out to his partner, and despite having a hold of her hand at one point, Ms Johnson was said to have “slipped away”.

Mr Doherty rang emergency services, who arrived at 5.11pm, with efforts made to find Ms Johnson.

Recommended reading:

Her body was recovered at 6.45pm and she was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, while Mr Doherty was described as “distraught” by the detective inspector who attended the scene.

The officer was satisfied that there were no suspicious cir***stances or third party involvement surrounding the incident as Ms Johnson had not external injuries.

A toxicology report found “a low amount of alcohol and cannabis” in Ms Johnson’s system, with the medical cause of death given as drowning.

Ms Kearsley accepted this as the medical cause of death, ruling that Ms Johnson’s death was accidental before offering her condolences to Ms Johnson’s family.