Instead of immediately attempting to swim or wave for help, researchers at the University of Portsmouth are urging people to ‘float first’.

Their research was carried out under a RoSPA scholarship won by Dr Martin Barwood from the Department of Sport and Exercise Science.

The counter-intuitive advice is being advocated after tests showed that staying as still as possible in the first few minutes after tumbling into water increases survival time by enabling air trapped in clothing to keep the head above water, protecting the airways and slowing the rate at which the body is cooled. Attempting to ‘float first’ also allows the body to become accustomed to the water temperature.

Dr Barwood said: “The results of this study have the potential to save many lives.

“Accidentally falling into water is a major threat to us all, particularly in the early spring when water temperatures are at their coldest. The behaviour during first few minutes after falling in is critical and may make the difference between becoming a victim or survivor.”

With average water temperatures in the UK between 10-12°C, even relatively healthy people are at risk of suffering ‘cold shock’ on immersion, which can trigger a loss of breathing control and increase the risk of inhaling water.

The research team are now calling for the ‘float first’ approach to be taught as a survival skill to as many people as possible, though it should not replace the need for people to learn to swim or, where appropriate, to wear lifejackets.

RoSPAs’ scholarship scheme was set up after British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) donated £500,000 to support research that would have a significant impact on improving safety in the UK and around the world.

Its findings could prove timely as late spring / early summer often brings a significant rise in the number of people who drown as a result of cold water immersion: often because water proves colder than expected on a warm day. Between 1993 and 2003 an average of 445 people per year drowned in the UK. Many of the victims accidentally fell into the water while fully or partially clothed and drowned within a short distance of land.

The most recently published figures show that 312 people drowned in 2006 – with the single biggest cause being people falling into inland waters.

Peter Cornall, RoSPA’s head of leisure safety, said: “It is essential that we shout about this pioneering research from the rooftops, because what sounds like counter-intuitive advice could save scores of lives each year.

“This is a survival skill that won’t come naturally to most of us, so it is important that we come to understand the meaning of it and give ourselves every chance of making it through a potentially deadly situation.”

Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA’s chief executive, said: “It is very satisfying to see our scholarship fund start to bear fruit in a way which could save many lives.”

RoSPA will now look to develop ways of sharing the potentially life-saving “float first” message.