National Grid is fined £2m after a boy, 11, died during a dare when he tried to cross a canal balancing on a gas pipe – because they didn't stop people attempting the feat

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Robbie Williamson (pictured) drowned in a canal after falling off a gas pipe which his family had played dare on for at least three generations

The National Grid has been fined £2million after a boy of 11 drowned in a canal during a game of dare which his family had played for at least three generations.

Robbie Williamson was on his way to buy fish and chips when he walked along a disused Edwardian gas pipe adjoining a bridge - just as his father and grandfather had done before him when they were children.

But as he was about to reach the other side, Robbie slipped and fell three metres and banged his head on the canal banking. The impact knocked him unconscious and he fell backwards into the water.

A local - alerted by the screams of Robbie's friends - pulled him from the canal but he died a short time later in hospital.

The 1903 pipe was the property of National Grid and had remained exposed to danger from children's pranks for over 110 years.

However, the firm have now been fined the seven figure sum for flouting health and safety laws.

Officials at the power distributor later said they had never received any complaints about the unguarded pipe - and claimed they thought it had been running underground.

Maintenance work had been carried out on the pipe in 2001, 2004 and 2006 but the records had not been updated.

The company eventually erected protective iron shields on either side of it 24 hours after the tragedy and carried out reviews on other pipe crossings across the UK.

However, they were taken to court where they admitted breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Lawyers for the firm - which has pre-tax profits of £1.1billion - appeared to blame Robbie for climbing up the pipeline.

Robbie had been about to reach the end of this pipe, which stretches over the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Burnley, Lancashire, when he slipped and hit his head

But Judge Mark Brown said: 'This was an accident waiting to happen.

'The pipeline was likely to have been an attraction to young boys such as Robbie and was likely to be dangerous when it was wet and slippery.

'National Grid did nothing to prevent or deter access onto it.

'There is no doubt in my mind that the terrible and tragic death of Robbie has had a deeply profound effect on his parents. There cannot be anything worse in life than for a parent to lose their child at such a very young age.

'It seems to me that the defence are seeking to place the blame for the accident upon Robbie himself and overlook the fact the company exposed him to an obvious risk of injury or death.'

The incident was told the accident occurred on April 22 last year when Robbie and his two best pals had just finished classes at Shuttleworth High School.

As he was about to reach the other side, Robbie (pictured) slipped and fell three metres and banged his head on the canal banking. The impact knocked him unconscious and he fell backwards into the water.

A local - alerted by the screams of Robbie's friends - pulled him from the canal but he died a short time later in hospital. The 11-year-old (pictured) was on his way to buy fish and chips at the time

They had been on their way to meet others at a local cricket club but on their way they saw a gap in the railings of Dugdale Bridge in Burnley, Lancashire, and climbed through to the pipe crossing.

The pipe was a well known dare amongst school children to see if they could walk across the raised cast iron pipe in order to get to the other side of the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

At an inquest held last March, Detective Constable Wendy Rothwell of Lancashire Police said: 'When they got towards the bridge there were some railings. It's believed one said there was a gap in the railings and climbed through.

'It was sometimes a dare to see if walk across. The three boys decided to walk across, there was a conversation who will go first.

'Listening to the children it seems to be a dare possibly between children.'

The Edwardian pipe, which was fitted in 1903, had remained exposed to danger from children's pranks for more than 110 years despite maintenance work being carried out three times between 2001 and 2006

Maintenance work had been carried out on the pipe in 2001, 2004 and 2006 but the records had not been updated. The company eventually erected protective iron shields on either side of it 24 hours after the tragedy and carried out reviews on other pipe crossings across the UK

She told the inquest that Robbie went second and he and one of the friends walked with their backs to the wall as they made their way across.

There were rivets on the pipe which they had to step over and the boys spoke of the pipe being 'a bit slippy'.

The officer added: 'As they approached the far end of the bridge one said that he is about to climb down onto the the opposite ledge and hears a shout from Robbie and he falls into the water.

'He strikes himself on the bank of the canal before falling backwards into the water.'

The lads clambered down and upon seeing Robbie in the water screamed, with one running for help.

A passerby tried to revive Robbie but he died in the Royal Blackburn Hospital. Tests showed he died from drowning and a head injury.

Members of Robbie's family pay their respects to the 11-year-old, who died in April last year

Floral tributes lay at the scene where Robbie died. National Grid have today been fined £2million for flouting health and safety laws

Robbie's father Dean Williamson said despite the iron shield being installed, children could still jump down onto the pipe.

He said: 'That shield that they have put on, you can still climb round. Why can't they slope the pipe so there would be no climbing at all? There would be no access.

'If sloped you have no chance to get onto it. You can still drop onto it.'

He admitted that, as a child, he too had crossed the pipe, as did his father - but hadn't been aware of Robbie scaling it.

He told the inquest: 'I didn't want him to do it. Obviously if I'd found out I would have really told him off.'

In a statement, Dean described his son as 'an absolutely brilliant child' and that since his passing his house had been, 'extremely quiet without him'.

He added that Robbie had 'absolutely loved life' and had been an outdoors type of child. The youngster who was in Year 7, had only started secondary school the day prior to his death.

After the case a spokesman for the National Grid - which was also ordered to pay £36,102 prosecution costs - said: 'We are deeply sorry for what happened to Robbie Williamson.

'The 12-inch diameter pipe has been in place since 1903. This is the first time an accident of this kind has happened. We will do everything we can to ensure it is the last.'

Health and Safety Executive inspector Ian Redshaw said: 'This was a tragic accident which has had a devastating impact on Robbie's family and friends.

'The company failed to assess the risks associated with this pipe to members of the public, and as a result they had not put in place any measures to prevent or deter access onto the pipe.

'This was a significant cause in Robbie's death.'