Tributes were paid to ‘amazing’ mother Kimberley Johnson last month
Kimberley Johnson(Image: Facebook)
A mum-of-three whose body was recovered from a reservoir near Oldham was swimming when she told her partner ‘I can’t do it’ and went under the water, an inquest opening has heard.
Kimberley Johnson, 33, was with her partner at Strinesdale Reservoir on August 17, a coroner was told. The machine operator, who was born in Rochdale and lived in Oldham, had been drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis, a police coroner’s officer said.
She decided to go for a swim, but after a while she said ‘I can’t do it’, coroner Michael Salt was told today (Tuesday, September 2). Her partner tried to save her but was unable to. Emergency services were called to the beauty spot and her body was later recovered.
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Tributes were paid to the ‘amazing’ mum-of-three following her tragic death which police said was being treated as not suspicious. An inquest into her death was opened at Rochdale Coroners’ Court on Tuesday and adjourned until December 16.
Police coroner’s officer Cathy Dickson told the coroner Kimberley was at Strinesdale Reservoir with her partner Daniel when she decided to go for a swim.
Ms Dickson said: “They’d drunk some alcohol and smoked cannabis. She decided to go for a swim. She swam for a while and then said something like, ‘I can’t do it’. He tried to reach out and grab her but could not do it.”
Emergency services attended Strinesdale Reservoir, situated on the A62 between Oldham and Delph, at around 4pm. A rescue operation was launched with the area off Waterworks Road sealed off. The specialist water incident unit was drafted in.
A woman’s body was recovered at 6.25pm. The body was later identified as Kimberley Louise Johnson following fingerprint checks.
Greater Manchester Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Kimberley’s death. An inquest will be held at Rochdale Coroner’s Court on December 16.