Reward over death of schoolboy Enrico Sidoli at Parliament Hill lido in 1976

A £40,000 reward is being offered for information over the death of a 15-year-old boy who drowned more than 40 years ago.

Police are revisiting the case of Enrico Sidoli, who died following an incident at an open-air swimming pool in north London in 1976.

The schoolboy died in hospital 11 days after being pulled unconscious from Parliament Hill Lido in Hampstead on 8 July during a heatwave summer.

Detectives believe Enrico may have been held underwater after witnesses at the time and in following years said he had become involved in an argument with a group of boys.

He was described as having been assaulted and thrown in the pool.

The Met Police are offering £20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Enrico’s death.

His family are promising to match the sum with an additional £20,000.

Police have taken more than 1,100 witness accounts as part of extensive enquiries since Enrico died.

A 16-year-old boy was interviewed under caution in September 1976 and a 25-year-old man questioned in August 1986 but no further action was taken, with no arrests or charges ever being made.

The Met’s Special Casework Investigation Team have now launched a fresh bid to reveal the details of Enrico’s death, who died on 19 July 1976 as a result of irreversible brain damage caused by cardiac arrest.

They hope to trace a potential key witness, with Scotland Yard releasing a photo of a man taken moments after Enrico was pulled from the pool by a lifeguard and resuscitated around 2.30pm.

Susan Stansfield from the Met Police said: "A picture was taken just after Enrico was rescued from the water, and it shows a dark-haired man swimming in the pool.

"He has never been traced or spoken to by police, and we would be very interested to talk to him about what he saw that day.

"I hope that after 41 years, any witnesses who were too scared of, or had loyalties to, the people involved at the time will now find the courage to contact police."

Enrico’s sister Iolanda Sidoli urged anyone who knew what happened to her brother to come forward.

"If you’re out there, you may have children, you may have grandchildren, maybe you don’t care," she told Sky News.

"But at the end of the day it’s time to come forward and give up what you’ve done because it will be better for your soul."

Describing the toll on the family of Enrico’s death, Ms Sidoli added: "From that day, our lives completely changed.

"My mum, it took her 21 years to die of a broken heart. She was just nothing after that. Not knowing who did this and thinking people got away with it.

"From that day, you’re never happy. I’ve gone through my life, I hardly smile. My mum never smiled, my mum was always unhappy.

"When they killed him, they might as well have killed us."

Elizabeth Brown, another of Enrico’s sisters, said: "I really do believe that my brother deserves justice. He was such a smart, lovely kid and he brought such joy to all of us."

She added: "I think if anyone’s got any conscience, they will see how much and understand how much we have suffered.

"We’ve really lost so much and we’ve lost really our happiness in our hearts."

:: Anyone at Parliament Hill Lido who saw what happened to Enrico on 8 July 1976, or who has any information that could assist police with their enquiries, is urged to call the Met’s Specialist Case Investigation Team on 020 7230 7963 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. They can also email SCO1Mailbox-.EnricoSidoliAppeal@met.police.uk or tweet @MetCC.

(c) Sky News 2017: Reward over death of schoolboy Enrico Sidoli at Parliament Hill lido in 1976