'No training' for pool assistant

Emma Farrar died during a weekly swimming lesson

A support teacher who helped with a swimming lesson in which a four-year-old girl drowned was given no training for pool sessions, a court has heard.

Emma Farrar, from Nuttall Road, Blackpool, had been at the lesson with her classmates at Woodlands School in Blackpool on 13 November 2001.

Assistant Amanda Heys told Preston Crown Court she was not told to count the children in or out of the pool.

Swimming instructor Pauline Mills, 55, of Kirkham, denies manslaughter.

Health and safety

She also denies failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others, along with Keith Berry, who was headmaster at Park School at the time of Emma's death.

Emma, who had moderate to severe learning difficulties, was a pupil at the neighbouring Park School which used the pool.

The court heard that Emma, of Nuttall Road, Blackpool, was left in the pool for at least 15 minutes after the other pupils and staff had got out.

Blackpool Council, which employed Woodlands School and Park School staff, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to exposing people not in its employment to risks to their health and safety.

'Gross negligence'

Alan Conrad QC, prosecuting, said Emma died because of the "gross negligence" of Pauline Mills.

He said the school "operated a swimming policy that was grossly deficient."

Miss Heys said panic set in after Emma was found in the pool 15 minutes after the lesson ended.

"Somebody picked up a green coat and asked, 'whose is this coat?'. One of the children said, 'that's Emma's coat,'" she said.

" I looked up and glanced around for Emma to come forward for her coat, but I couldn't see her.

"I looked around... but there was no sign of her.

"She was in the pool. There was panic but we knew we had to raise the alarm so we went to the telephone and we were pressing 999, but couldn't get through.

"I went to the main door and called for Pauline Mills, who immediately went into the pool."

Miss Heys told the court she had gone to get changed a few minutes before the end of the lesson, in order to be ready to look after an autistic boy.

At the same time Mrs Mills told the children to take their armbands off as they only had five minutes left to play.