One Leeds mum's courage

Jackie Roberts, mother of teenager Megan Roberts, who drowned after falling into the River Ouse in York. Jackie has taken up the role of a drowning prevention officer and last year she won a Yorkshire woman of achievement award. Picture: James Hardisty.

It is three years since Jackie Roberts' daughter Megan drowned. Catherine Scott talks to her about her loss.

If you lost a child to drowning it is understandable if you never want to go near water again. But for Jackie Roberts the opposite is true.

Since her daughter Megan, 20, was found drowned in the River Ouse in York three years ago, Jackie has dedicated her life to raising awareness of the dangers of water and alcohol.

She has retrained as a drowning prevention officer for the charity the Royal Life Saving Society.

Student Megan Roberts got separated from her friends while under the influence of alcohol and fell in the River Ouse near to York's Lendal Bridge.

“Some may find it strange, but I was told I am an instrumental griever for the way I reacted. I took all my energy and love for my child and channelled it into doing something positive. You have to do whatever gets you through and that felt right for me. I just couldn’t let Megan’s death be for nothing.”

Megan disappeared in January 2014 after a night out with friends. She was a fine arts student at York St John University and an inquest into her death heard she’d had a lot to drink on the night she disappeared.

“Meg had gone back to University after the Christmas holidays,” says Jackie who lives in Wetherby. “It was a Wednesday night and they’d all had a lot to drink.”

The first Jackie knew that there was a problem was when she received a telephone call from one of Megan’s friends.

“They said they hadn’t heard from Megan but I wasn’t that worried as I thought she was with another group friends. Meg was the type of girl who if she needed anything would have called me.”

But when Monday arrived and there was still no sign of Megan Jackie knew something was wrong and she immediately called the police.

“I feel guilty that I didn’t realise something was seriously wrong sooner but she was 20 and you have to let them have some independence.”

Initially, Jackie feared Megan may have been abducted but as they pieced together her last known movements the more likely scenario became clear.

“She was last seen staggering close to the river and we soon realised that she must have fallen in. We had to believe it as the alternative was even more dreadful to contemplate. ”

Jackie recalls having to break the news to Megan’s younger brother and sister, Amy who was 17 at the time and Ben 13.

“We are a very close family and we had the support of friends as well which got us through, I’m not sure how I kept it together but I had to for my other two children.

“It was really hard on them. I had undergone treatment for breast cancer the year before and we were just getting through that... I just wanted to take their pain away. It has affected them, but I’m proud with how they dealt with it.”

It was a further six weeks before Megan’s body was discovered in the river by a family out for a walk.

“They were amazing and they have remained friends ever since. They were relieved that at last Megan had been found. Some people never find their children’s bodies and I think that must be even worse.”

Jackie says the only regret she has is that she didn’t see Megan to say goodbye.