RECKLESS behaviour on the River Severn put visitors and boat owners at risk in Sunday's sunshine.

One young reveller at the Upton-upon-Severn Jazz Festival even attempted to dive underneath the 120-tonne Conway Castle as it came in to berth.

Skipper Eric Sturt put out a radio call for assistance and the Mercia Inshore Search and Rescue team responded.

"The skipper saw the lad disappear, but fortunately he had managed to get out on to the bank when we found him," said unit captain David Walker.

"Words fail me in trying to describe how foolish it was. It was the height of lunacy and he put himself in very serious danger."

Melanie Davis, of Severn Leisure, said people seemed to have no awareness of the dangers of rivers and large boats.

"The propellers are at their most dangerous as you are coming in to the mooring, because they put the boat in reverse to slow it down and the drag is terrific," she said.

She witnessed another frightening incident from the Conway Castle when the skipper sounded his horn to indicate that he was about to turn the boat to starboard. There were four private boats coming towards us and not one of them took any action.

"The problem seems to be getting worse and owners don't have to take any sort of test before they take their boats out on the river."

British Waterways issues guidance on canal and river safety to boat owners, but spokesman Vicky Blower said much of it was down to people's common sense.

"Rivers can be dangerous places and people should remember that their actions could put other people in danger, as well as themselves," she said.

"All we can do is provide the information and hope people will read it."

l In April, Tom Prescot, helmsman of the Sweetie Pie, was jailed for manslaughter after one of his passengers, Jane Turner, died when the boat capsized. The jury heard how the pleasureboat was overloaded with party-goers during the September 2003 Stourport Land and River Carnival.