Mum's warning to parents as many swimwear colours can't be seen underwater

Swimming is a highlight of the summer season, yet a worrying number of parents are unaware that certain colours of children's swimsuits can be safer than others.

As the UK begins to enjoy warmer temperatures and with foreign holidays on the horizon, many families will be planning trips to the pool or beach. There's nothing quite like relaxing by the pool or taking a dip in the sea on a hot day. However, when it comes to children, safety must always come first.

Parents are now being advised to check the colour of their children's swimwear to ensure it is visible underwater. While children should always be supervised by an adult while swimming, it's crucial they can be seen easily if an accident occurs.

Becky Hailes, a mother of two, recently took to TikTok to raise awareness about the safety of different swimwear colours. She shared a chart from Alive Solutions that demonstrated how various colours appear both above and below water.

She said: "I've got a six-year-old, and when he was little I knew nothing about safe swimwear colours. It was only recently when it was big on social media a couple of years ago that I found out which colours aren't safe for swimming."

Holding up a pair of blue swim shorts, Becky referred to the chart, where it's clear that it's not visible under the water. "If there is a child at the bottom of the pool wearing blue, you're likely not going to see them," she added.

Instead, she opted for a pair of vibrant orange swim shorts for her son, which, according to the chart, remain visible underwater. "You can still see them on the bottom of the pool, if they've drowned."

To compile the chart, Alive Solutions placed each colour on the water surface and then allowed the suits to sink to 18inches deep. They also captured two additional photos from shore level and slightly elevated positions - mimicking the perspectives of lifeguards or parents.

The study revealed that common swimsuit colours like blue and green tend to vanish underwater, whereas bright neon hues such as orange, yellow, and lime green are much more noticeable. It was also noted that darker colours might be visible against a light pool bottom but would be harder to distinguish in the presence of leaves, dirt, or shadows.

Recent research highlighted a staggering 90% of parents are unaware that certain swimwear colours are unsafe underwater. Alarmingly, two-thirds of children wear swimwear in shades of blue, white, or grey, which become nearly invisible below the surface, posing a significant risk should they face difficulties while swimming.

Package holiday experts, On the Beach, are now calling on the future government to prohibit retailers from selling swimwear that becomes invisible underwater. To back this cause and aid in ensuring children's safety while swimming, visit: https://www.onthebeach.co.uk/swimwear-safety.