YOUNGSTERS have been risking their lives by jumping off a quay.

Police have been called out several times to reports of thrillseekers clambering over railings to take the plunge from Wivenhoe's waterfront.

Shocked residents have even spotted parents encouraging their children to make the three metre-plus drop from West Quay.

In a bid to discourage the practice, dubbed "tombstoning," a ladder that the jumpers used as an escape route has recently been removed.

Two men, John Castleman, 48, and Kelvin Rothwell, 43, died last year after jumping off Clacton Pier in a tombstoning stunt.

County councillor Julie Young said, though the pier was far higher than the quay, the dangers of jumping in could be just as great.

"This is really foolish behaviour and we are very concerned about the possibility of fatalities," said Mrs Young, who represents the Wivenhoe St Andrew's division on the council.

"The activity is not restricted to young people who may not understand the dangers but adults are also involved, even encouraging children to do this.

"Policing in Wivenhoe has been stepped up on a Friday and Saturday night to cope with the antisocial behaviour of some young people in the community, and now police resources must be targeted around curbing this activity.

"I really wish to warn everyone not to do this as the dangers involved are too big a risk."

The tombstoning problem was raised at a recent meeting of Wivenhoe's neighbourhood action panel.