http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... 6481,d.d24

As a resident of the City of Durham - aka student central am I being hard here but surely the youth of today want a kick up the arse, fair enough 3 students have died in the river in the past 18 months and another was fished out but for Christ's sake sending out volunteers to keep the little darlings safe on the river banks-kids are like big fucking babies these days when I was 17/18 I was out in Durham, got pissed up but bar the odd scrape managed to get home at least 2/3 miles in varying states of boozed up ness, Surely if you go out and get pissed why the hell should anybody have to hold your hand and check you don't nip home to your student digs up the river banks and fall in saving around 2 minutes on going via the public footpaths? Poor darlings need wipes, blankets etc, because you've gone out to get mortal on a Wednesday night. Some do-gooders are blaming the pubs for selling cheap drink on a student night-do me a favour nobodyis forcing them to drink it to excessive amounts, in my day I' 'm 43 now) I had no mobile (most teenagers have one constantly in hand or ear etc-even in pubs !) , a minimum amount of cash and a mam and dad who couldn't have afforded to send me to University- I was working by then and expected in work by 8 a.m. whether I'd been out or not, come a Thursday I'd imagine skipping lectures would be fairly common?

I think it's a good idea and if it prevents one needless loss of a young life then it's probably worth it. My mates Dad was out with a lad who died in exactly the same circumstances in Durham in the 70's it's not a new thing exclusive to the youth of today.

If people are willing to do this on a voluntary basis then what's the problem here?

Anyone that thinks its not worth doing something to save lives is bleedin nuts.

3 deaths in a year but one other close to it, and yet no police investigation as to what has happened.

Most of the students believe there is something sinister.

But the Uni, Council and Police have closed ranks and are blaming the drink.

None of those hat died needed to go where they did to get home, on their own, nor did they need to go for a swim, in freezing waters.

Yet bizarrely end up in the river.

Something is very odd.

And there has always been students drinking too much. So why this sudden outbreak of lads on their own just drowning?

You might be right Colonel, the Establishment has closed ranks to protect people who are murdering highly privileged students. Something smells very fishy and it isn't because of the river Wear. I also believe that they are covering up a massive cull of bankers that has been going on in London for years now.

Tin foil hats at the ready

ha ha ha ha, because young people dying is funny innit ??

"highly privileged" - oh me sides.

Fuck me, I didn't think it was possible for a piss take of the Colonel's conspiracy theories as obvious as that to actually go over anybody's head.

is the OP taking the piss also? ive had quite a few....

The unfortunate thing here is that I am closer to this tragedy than you obviously think.

My son is at Durham Uni, as are two of his best mates from St Hilds school. Both of his mates were house mates of two of those that died.

Neither were big drinkers. Neither were rich kids, but both were on their own away from all of their friends when they disappeared.

As was the American kid that was the first to go.

They all have grieving parents that were proud that their kids were clever enough to get into uni, especially one of the top three unis in the uk. And all want answers. Because at the moment no one can explain it.

Infact if you knew anything at all, where two went missing, there were no bars and was not the direction they would have gone to go home. There was no reason for them to go were they were found. It wasnt even a short cut.

But hey, its all just a conspiracy theory.

Best not to make serious points in your daft Colonel guise then. If you've got things like that to say then you could at least say them in a way that asks to be taken seriously.

Even if you did, I'd stand by what I said about Durham students being privileged and that it is very unlikely that the police, council and university are in a conspiracy to cover up them being murdered.

Just to be clear, I'm not for a second suggesting that everybody who gets into Durham is rich, although I'd guess most are.

What I would say is that once they get there they become privileged because the university is one of the few in the UK, alongside Oxford and Cambridge, that uses funds from land ownership etc to subsidise the education it gives students. Smaller teaching groups, tutorials, college system etc. Mostly stuff that you got at all universities a few decades ago but is now the preserve of top few.

That is the biggest pile of bollox I have ever read on here.

Their tuition fees are the max. Unless you believe they get this for nowt?

And the rent they have to pay for dilapidated student houses is criminal.

And yes I DO know.

You just sound a bitter and jealous individual.

And your response to the deaths is no longer worthy of a response.

I trust you would have a different view if your own child was involved.

I know too... My daughter went to Durham and whilst there where a few ra rahs there there are a lot of " normal" kids too

Nearly every university charges the highest fees they can, students at Durham are comparatively lucky because they get reasonably sized lectures and tutorials in exchange. there should be free access to education for everybody though.

Agree with you on the rent.

Typing DO in capitals is meaningless and doesn't show that you know anything at all.

If what I said is no longer worthy of a response why are you still responding?

And no I wouldn't have a different view if my child was involved. I'd still think that the idea that the police, Establishment and Durham university are in cahoots to cover up a series of murders is outlandish.

Finally, what am I supposed to bitter and jealous about?