THIS is a photograph that will shock every parent - boys dicing with death by leaping from a bridge into the fast-flowing River Usk.

And that is despite repeated calls by police in Abergavenny for children to stop the dangerous practice.

The spot in Llanfoist has been used for years by youngsters jumping into the river during fine weather.

But the river has a dangerous undercurrent at that point - and youngsters have now even taken to jumping 20 feet off the bridge, risking serious injuries.

When our photographer passed the site on Friday, boys of around ten years were launching themselves off the bridge.

Just a week before, police in the area had again warned of the dangers of swimming there.

Sergeant Huw Jones, based at Abergavenny, said: "This is ludicrous and really dangerous.

"There is a very strong undercurrent there which could pull the youngsters away.

"We have had a problem over a number of years with youngsters jumping in from the riverbank, and we have asked them to stop many times.

"We have also highlighted the dangers of swimming there because of the undercurrent.

"We would ask parents for their help in keeping their children away from the river, which I know is very tempting in fine weather. But if you saw this fast-flowing river in the winter when it is at its height, you would never dream of getting into it."

Monmouthshire councillor Andre Arkell, whose ward is Llanfoist Fawr, said: "It's very dangerous - it's not only the height, but there are also very strong undercurrents. The river is very deep there, there's a whirlpool on the one side - there are all these dangers that could befall anybody.

"They shouldn't be doing it, without a shadow of a doubt. The bridge is very high, even beyond the danger of the waters.

"Anyone jumping into that river is putting themselves into serious danger."

Roger Vincent, a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said there are huge dangers jumping off bridges into rivers.

He said: "You cannot tell how deep the water is, and there can be spinal or head injuries."

The National Assembly's introduction of free swimming for children is one way of countering the dangers of those young people who choose rivers and reservoirs fraught with life-threatening risks.

As Emma Phillips, corporate health and safety adviser for Torfaen county borough council, said: "It is important to prevent dangers to children and show them where they can play safely."