Extra cash is being made available in a bid to help prevent tragic loss of life through drowning.

The funding has been pledged by the Scottish Government at a time when safety concerns at local waterways such as rivers and reservoirs are heightened due to the school holidays.

It will be used by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to help strengthen the focus on water safety.

News of the additional funding was announced on World Drowning Prevention Day and ahead of an expected upturn in weather conditions, with hot spells predicted for next month.

To further highlight the importance of water safety, a number of landmarks were lit up blue on Monday.

Ash Regan, community safety minister, said: “We are blessed with an abundance of natural beauty and surrounded by waterways that can appear tempting during hot weather but it’s vitally important that people exercise extreme caution if venturing into open water and that they heed all of the safety advice.

“Entering any waterway has an element of risk and can have tragic consequences.

“The Scottish Government takes the issue of water safety very seriously and our sympathies remain with everyone affected by the tragedy of a water fatality.

“We work closely with Water Safety Scotland and other partners, including local councils, Police Scotland, RoSPA and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, to implement and support initiatives that can help raise awareness of the hazards around water and reduce deaths from accidental drowning.”

Anyone who is thinking of taking a dip in one of the local area’s rivers or reservoirs is advised that these waterways could have unseen dangers such as hidden ledges or strong currents.

Even strong swimmers also run the risk of suffering cold water shock, which can make it dangerously difficult for them to stay afloat.

For more advice on how to stay safe around water, go online at www.watersafetyscotland.org.uk.