No lifeguard on duty at Norfolk pool where schoolgirl drowned

A seven-year-old girl drowned at her best friend's birthday pool party while there was no lifeguard on duty, an inquest has heard.

Maya Kantengule was found at the bottom of the swimming pool at Waveney River Centre holiday park in Burgh St Peter, near Lowestoft, in May last year.

Norfolk's senior coroner Jacqueline Lake said Maya was pulled from the water but was declared dead later that day at the James Paget University Hospital near Great Yarmouth.

Maya's father Livial Kantengule, who was at the hearing with his wife Glenda, said in a written statement that it was the birthday party of his daughter's best friend, who had moved to a different school.

He said the invitation asked for children to be dropped off at 10.45am, they would swim, have lunch, play outside and be ready for collection around 1.30pm.

Mr Kantengule said he spoke to Jane Rainer, the mother of his daughter's best friend, as he arrived and decided not to wait at the pool during the party as it was mostly girls and mothers, and his wife was at work.

He said he did not ask if there was a lifeguard and Mrs Rainer had not mentioned anything.

As he was driving home he had several missed calls on his phone and returned to the pool with his wife after receiving a message that there had been an accident.

Maya had already been taken to hospital and was pronounced dead as they were at her bedside.

Her father told the inquest he had presumed his daugther would be "adequately supervised" in the pool and that he's known Mrs Rainer to help out with swimming lessons at Dell Primary School.

Maya, who was born in Middlesbrough, lived in Smith's Walk, Oulton Broad, near Lowestoft, Suffolk.

Jaqueline Bell, a teaching assistant at her school, said in a written statement that Maya started weekly swimming lessons in reception year, and spent around 10 to 15 minutes in the water each time.

The indoor pool at Waveney River Centre, which is L-shaped, 40ft long, 30ft at its widest and 5ft at its deepest, can be privately hired.

Chris Coker, environmental health officer at South Norfolk Council, said signs were up stating there were no lifeguards on duty, that people swam at their own risk and should not do so if they are not a confident swimmer.

The inquest, which is expected to last two days, continues.