THE mother of one of the youngsters caught by Daily Echo photographers jumping off the Redbridge cause-way in Southampton has called for more support from the police to stop children like her son risking their lives.

Angela Coombes's 14-year-old son Gary is among scores of teenagers who amuse themselves during the stifling heat of the summer holidays by leaping off the bridge into the shallow waters of the River Test at Nursling, by Totton.

The Daily Echo reported on Friday that Hampshire police had been inundated with calls from concerned members of the public who spotted children jumping from bridges, buildings and seafronts.

Inspector Howard Povey has advised youngsters not to jump into shallow waters, but has admitted that police are powerless to stop the children from taking part in the potentially fatal activity.

Mrs Coombes, of Porlock Road, Millbrook, said: "I've had a long-term battle with these kids.

"I know they are our responsibility at the end of the day, but they are teenage lads.

"I totally agree with the fact that they should not be over there, but if we had the support from the police, they would not be."

Mrs Coombes added that her son had said if the police told he and his friends they would receive a caution for jumping off the bridge, they would not do it.

She said: "I know they said that there has not been a fatality yet, but one day there will be.

"I just keep my fingers crossed every day he goes over there that he comes back.

"But if we had more support from the police - even if they just took their names and said, 'If we find you over here again, you're for it'."

Inspector Povey said as the children are not breaking the law there is little they can do to stop them, apart from advising them against jumping and telling them to stay away from the main road.

He added: "There is nothing we can do to stop them if they were to jump off the bridge into the water.

"We would advise against it, but there's nothing we can do."

"If the parent is concerned enough I suggest they go down there themselves and stop them doing it."