JohnCenaFan28
11-06-2008, 09:43 PM
Floats for children have been banned at three Northumberland swimming pools - for health and safety reasons.
Staff at Waterworld in Prudhoe ruled the water aids should not be given to young children as they could pass on infections.
One father who told The Sun he was "amazed" when lifeguards would not give his five-year-old son a float.
He said: "I pointed out to the staff that surely it's more of a health and safety risk if the child sinks because they don't have a float. I was just gobsmacked by this."
Pool operator North Country Leisure also has the same rule at venues in nearby Hexham and Alnwick.
Director of operations Darren Lamb said: "We normally provide floats when it is safe to do so.
"On this occasion there was obviously a reason why it wasn't given and I can only apologise. We don't provide inflatable devices such as rings or water wings for hygiene reasons."
But Hexham MP Peter Atkinson said: "This is just the latest directive from the health and safety commissars. It is a ridiculously over-cautious approach to something which is of great benefit to young people."
-Nova
Staff at Waterworld in Prudhoe ruled the water aids should not be given to young children as they could pass on infections.
One father who told The Sun he was "amazed" when lifeguards would not give his five-year-old son a float.
He said: "I pointed out to the staff that surely it's more of a health and safety risk if the child sinks because they don't have a float. I was just gobsmacked by this."
Pool operator North Country Leisure also has the same rule at venues in nearby Hexham and Alnwick.
Director of operations Darren Lamb said: "We normally provide floats when it is safe to do so.
"On this occasion there was obviously a reason why it wasn't given and I can only apologise. We don't provide inflatable devices such as rings or water wings for hygiene reasons."
But Hexham MP Peter Atkinson said: "This is just the latest directive from the health and safety commissars. It is a ridiculously over-cautious approach to something which is of great benefit to young people."
-Nova