More than 250 people have signed a petition calling on Elmbridge Council to improve 'No Swimming' signage along the Thames after Dominick Naylor drowned in the Thames last month in Walton.

Jim Sewell, 50, of Thamesmead in Walton, submitted the petition on Friday, September 2, following Dominick's death on Wednesday, August 31, and it has since received 259 signatures on the council's website.

Mr Sewell is also calling on the council to allow children under 16 to swim for free in the council's swimming pools and for more life-saving equipment to be installed along the river.

Regarding new and improved signage, he said: "It needs to pack a punch. Hopefully kids will see that and see there's a risk and say let's not do it. You can make anybody aware but if one person sees it you could save that person's life."

He also encouraged Elmbridge to adopt a free swimming policy for children. He said: "If they're going to jump in the water it's better to be in the pool than the river. There's other councils where children have free swimming, it just makes so much sense. It's worthwhile whatever the cost."

The deadline to add your signature to the petiton, at petitions.elmbridge.gov.uk/free-swimming, is October 3.