A GRIEVING mother is launching a campaign to warn holidaymakers about the dangers of swimming abroad after her son died in the Caribbean Sea.

Julie Love today told how her continuing heartache made her determined to not let other parents go through a similar experience.

Her world collapsed when her 23-year-old son Colin drowned while swimming in the Playa El Agua resort, off the coast of Venuezuela, a known danger spot among locals for swimming.

After just five minutes in the water Colin, who was a strong swimmer, was dragged beneath the surface by a powerful rip tide undercurrent.

A nearby surfer swam out and dragged him back to the shore but it was too late to save his life.

Speaking for the first time since the tragedy in January, she said: "It is just your worst nightmare as a mother."

And although she is still grieving, Julie wants to make travel companies take greater responsibility in warning holidaymakers about the dangers.

Julie, 41, from Maryhill, said no safety advice were given to Colin, a former Evening Times paper boy, and others on the same cruise, before they stopped to swim at the popular beach resort.

She learned after her son's death that a life guard had also drowned in the same waters just two days after he started his job in December.

And she later found on the travel website, Trip Advisor, that the beach is described by one tourist as, "the most dangerous beach on the island, with very high waves and no life guard on the whole beach.

He added: "No locals are swimming there because they told us that it is too dangerous."

Today Julie said: "When Colin died it was a rip-tide that got him.

"They are very common in the Carribean and the tourist industry don't highlight this.

"A lot of surfers know about it and there is a way of getting out of them if you know how.

"Colin was a great swimmer, really strong but it must have happened in about five minutes."

Colin, who worked in Marks & Spencer in Braehead, was enjoying a last-minute cruise with a friend in January when tragedy struck.

Julie, who works at an drug addiction support service in the city's South Side, was at home when her world was turned upside down by a phone call from Colin's friend. She said: "I was screaming hysterically.

"It is just your worst nightmare as a mother.

"He was just so full of life, a free spirit. He was everbody's pal.

"It's just a day at a time at the moment. I have bad days and slightly better days."

At least 60 Britons drown overseas every year, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), with the majority in hotel swimming pools.

As well as imposing stricter safety requirements on travel firms, Julie would like to see greater education in schools about the dangers of outdoor swimming and life-saving skills taught.

Julie said: "Since Colin died on January 29, five British tourist have drowned in Caribbean resorts.

"The authorities are well aware of the problems with Playa El Agua, however, they are reluctant to use any money to fund a possible lookout for lifeguards."

On Saturday, around 150 family and friends took part in a fundraising walk up Ben Lomond in tribute to Colin who was a keen hill-walker.

They hope to use the money to build a memorial bench on the banks of Loch Lomond. Drowning: the facts and figures

ACCORDING to RoSPA, 475 British tourists drowned on holiday between 2000-2005 - almost two a week.

Of these, 57 were children, most of whom drowned in hotel swimming pools.

Most adult deaths occurred after swimmers got into difficulty in the sea, or were swept away by strong currents and rip tides. Almost 20% of all cases involved water sports such as diving, snorkelling or kayaking.

More than half of all drowning fatalities abroad were male.

A small percentage of fatalities (6%) can be attributed to risk-taking often involving alcohol.

Individual countries have their own legislation, beach regulations, standards and guidance, but safety experts say they are not consistent and are often only enforced in the immediate aftermath of an accident.