Young girl drowned at birthday pool party at holiday park with no lifeguard on duty

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

Maya Kantengule was found at the bottom of the pool at Waveney River Centre holiday park in Burgh St Peter, Norfolk, on May 1 last year.

She was pulled out of the water unconscious and declared dead later that day at James Paget University Hospital near Great Yarmouth.

In a written statement to the inquest in Norwich, Maya's father Livial Kantengule said he had taken his daughter to the birthday party of her best friend, who had moved to a different school.

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

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

As he was driving home he missed several calls on his phone. He returned to the leisure centre with his wife Glenda after receiving a message informing him there had been an accident.

Maya had already been taken to hospital and was later pronounced dead with her parents at her bedside.

"I was aware that Maya could swim but neither myself or my wife had ever seen her swim," said Mr Katengule, who attended the inquest with his wife.

He said he did not ask if there was a lifeguard when he dropped off his daughter and Mrs Rainer did not mention it.

"When Jane's daughter was at Dell Primary School, Jane used to volunteer to help with the swimming lessons, so we assumed Maya would be adequately supervised while in the pool," he said.

He added that Mrs Rainer's daughter was the only friend they would allow Maya to go and visit.

They would visit each other every few weeks and Maya had previously been on a boat trip with her friend, among other days out.

Maya, who was born in Middlesbrough, lived near Lowestoft, Suffolk and attended Dell Primary School.

Jaqueline Bell, a teaching assistant at the school, said in a written statement that Maya started weekly swimming lessons in reception year.

She spent around 10 to 15 minutes in the water each week for a few months of the year while the pool was open, the inquest heard.

"She was nervous in the water and would use armbands and a wobble," she said.

"There was always an adult with the children in the pool and they would encourage her to take her feet off the bottom.

"She could take her feet off the bottom with support but couldn't do it on her own.

"The last time Maya would have swum was July 2015."

Chris Coker, environmental health officer at South Norfolk Council, told senior coroner Jacqueline Lake that the indoor pool at Waveney River Centre could be privately hired.

He said it was L-shaped, 12m long, 9m at its widest and 1.5m at its deepest.

He added there were signs stating no lifeguards were on duty, that people swim at their own risk and should not do so if they were not a confident swimmer.

The inquest, expected to last two days, continues.

Press Association