Loch Lomond has come fifth in the top ten of wild swimming spots in the UK.

The tourist hot spot is the only loch in Scotland listed in a poll of favourite swim locations and is ahead of lakes and coastal areas in Cumbria, the Cotswolds and Devon.

But the findings of the survey carried out on behalf of a swimwear company, which aimed to find out where people were flocking to in the heatwave, have prompted safety warnings from the Royal Lifesaving Society UK (RLSS UK).

For at the height of the heatwave in early July, two young men tragically drowned in accidents at the loch.

Rebin Rehan, 25, from Glasgow, got into difficulty one evening in the water near the Maid of the Loch and Drumkinnon Bay.

A police search party in collaboration with the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat recovered his body the following morning.

Then, a few days later, Owais Malik, 17, from Yoker, got into difficulty in the water around two miles north of Luss and he died despite desperate attempts to resuscitate him.

Balloch and Luss areas were extremely busy in the soaring temperatures and the rescue service had multiple call-outs.

The RLSS UK say people should always try to swim in safe, lifeguarded sites.

Martin Symcox, director of water safety management, said: “There are various places across Scotland where you can take part in supervised open water swimming activity.

“In addition, we would like to help support land owners to open up more safe open water swim sites and encourage them to get in touch with us at RLSS UK as we can support with risk assessments and advising on appropriate safety cover.”

The organisation is urging people to be aware of their surroundings and take notice of any warning signs when out and about.

When running or walking next to open water, stay well clear of bank edges as they are often unstable and this can create slips, trips and falls.

A total of 2,611 people aged 18 and over were polled in the survey about their outdoor pursuits during the heatwave.

Around four out of five respondents said they favoured wild swimming over pool swims.

Jeremy Laming, founder of the swimwear and athleisurewear brand Selkie Swim, said: “Wild swimming is certainly becoming more popular in the UK, with people seeking a slightly more natural experience and adventure. The heatwave has come as a bit of a surprise to us all.

“There are so many benefits to outdoor, open water and wild swimming that you can’t really appreciate until you’ve tried it yourself!”