A mother today criticised safety at Colchester Leisure World after a her four-year-old son slipped and fell into the pool.

But pool staff say the boy was left unsupervised and was not wearing waterwings.

Kathleen Rodgers, her partner and a family friend had taken twin sons Joshua and Jordan to the kiddies' pool as a treat the day after their fourth birthday.

The boys were just finishing a session on the water slide when Joshua slipped over, bumped his head and fell into the adjoining leisure pool.

Partner Adrian Thompson, who had been collecting Jordan, spotted Joshua floating just beneath a lifeguard post.

Miss Rodgers said: "He pulled him out, and asked the lifeguard for help because he did not know what he was doing. Joshua was not breathing, but the lifeguard just seemed to stand there and watch."

She said Mr Thompson managed to revive the boy, who was not wearing safety armbands. Joshua brought up a lot of water, his eyes were rolling and he had a big bump on his head, she said.

Other lifeguards were called, but she claimed Joshua's accident was passed off by staff as a minor incident.

Miss Rodgers, 29, of Buxton Road, Monkwick, Colchester, said: "We accept responsibility for him not having waterwings, but he was not in the pool. He wanted to get to the slide," she said. "But even with waterwings, a toddler would still have difficulty."

His mother, who had been on the poolside caring for her six-month-old daughter Shelbi, said the duty manager's offer of free pool tickets was an insult.

Leisure World marketing manager Karen Field said: "A young boy of four was left unsupervised in the leisure pool and without buoyancy aids, and, unsupervised, he fell into the water.

"Our lifeguard responded immediately, but the father got there first."

She said Leisure World's basic rule, common to all leisure centres, was that all under eights should be supervised, and buoyancy aids should be worn by youngsters unable to swim or weak at swimming.

Six qualified staff were at the scene, but resuscitation was not necessary as the boy was conscious and breathing, she added. An ambulance was called as a precautionary measure.

"As far as we are concerned, the lifeguard acted in accordance with national safety guidelines."

Joshua was checked over by ambulance and hospital staff and given a clean bill of health by the family's GP yesterday.

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