Newlywed Bradford teen drowned at Dales beauty spot, inquest hears

A BRADFORD teenager drowned after getting into difficulties at a Dales beauty spot last summer, an inquest heard.
Mohammed Bilal Zeb, 18, of Chellow Grange Road, was at Linton Falls, near Grassington, on July 31.
He was there with his wife of five weeks, Selina Kauser, who was pregnant with the couple’s first baby. The baby boy is now two months old. She told the inquest her husband could not swim.
She said they decided to go and celebrate Eid at Linton Falls with two other family groups. She had been there before but Mr Zebb had not. They arrived at their destination at around 7pm.
She added that shortly before they went Mr Zeb’s mother had contracted Covid-19 and was in hospital. She herself had tested negative for the virus but her husband had tested positive, though had no symptoms.
She said her brother,Vikar Hussain, who was in one of the accompanying parties, and other people were in the water. She heard shouting and then realised her husband was in trouble.
Mr Hussain said Bilal, as he was known, leapt into the water after seeing others swimming.
“It was a happy day. Bilal was standing on the rocks smiling. I leapt into the water first. Bilal couldn’t swim but he saw my 12-year-old cousin jumping in and others and I think this is what made Bilal do it. Nobody made him jump in.”
Mr Hussain said Mr Zeb went under the water and bobbed up before going down again moving his arms around. 
He said he was nearby. The water was very cold and he could feel a current. He added: “Bilal grabbed me from behind. He was under the water and had his arm around my throat. I was struggling to stay up and was trying to carry his weight. Then others came and got Bilal and dragged him onto the rocks. He said it all happened in less than a minute.
Witness Christopher Chavez-Cronin, from Leeds, was at the falls after visiting his aunt and cousin.
“As we approached the falls we heard screaming. There was an Asian male - later identified as Aurangzeb Rashid - who was giving a young male CPR but the victim was not responding.The police arrived and swam across the river to the rocks and took over doing CPR until the ambulance arrived soon after.”
Emergency services were called at around 7.30pm
PCSO William Knight, a member of North Yorkshire Police said he got a call on his radio and made his way immediately with a colleague.
The former lifeguard said he swam across and assisted with CPR until the paramedics arrived.
Also joining him was Police Sergeant Paul Evans, based in Skipton.
Sgt Evans too swam across. 
He said he was a strong swimmer but noted how fast flowing the water was at that point. He also noted it was cold and deep.
He said PSCO Knight was administering CPR.
Dave Dixon, a member of Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association said they used a sled to guide Mr Zeb back to a waiting ambulance. He described the beauty spot as having ‘many hidden dangers’ and not the place to go if you could not swim.
Paramedics declared Mr Zeb deceased at 9.18pm.
North Yorkshire Assistant coroner John Broadbridge commended those who tried to revive Mr Zeb and also commended Mr Hussain for trying to assist in difficult circumstances.
He said a post-mortem examination concluded death as drowning and that a non-intrusive post-mortem showed he had Covid-19.
Mr Broadbridge recorded a verdict of accidental death as a result of drowning, adding that contributory factors included asthma and Covid-19.
After hearing there was no lifesaving equipment near the beauty spot, Mr Broadbridge said he intended to write to all the local authorities as well as the police, fire service and Yorkshire Water to see if there could be a communal approach to reduce the risk of future tragedies, particularly at this spot.
“I am told warnings are now in place but these need to be emphasised. Anything that can be done to minimise it happening again should be considered.”