Water park where 11-year-old girl died prevented from reopening by council
Emergency services were called to Liquid Leisure, near Datchet, after the youngster was reported missing.
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Your support makes all the difference.A water park where an 11-year-old girl died has been prevented from reopening on health and safety grounds.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead said Liquid Leisure, near Datchet, must show it has reduced the risk of drowning before business can resume.
Emergency services were called to Liquid Leisure at 3.55pm on August 6 after the youngster was reported missing.
She was found just after 5.10pm and rushed to Wexham Park Hospital, where she died.
Thames Valley Police said the girl’s death was being treated as unexplained but not suspicious, and a file was being prepared for the coroner.
Liquid Leisure said the aqua assault course would remain closed “out of respect” for the girl’s family until the start of this week, but has been told by the local authority that it cannot reopen yet.
The council launched a health and safety investigation on August 9 “to determine any potential breaches under relevant health and safety legislation” and has refused to let the water park reopen this week.
A spokesman said on Monday: “We have served a notice prohibiting all recreational activities associated with the lake until Liquid Leisure has satisfied the council they have suitable and sufficient risk assessments to prevent or reduce the risk of drowning.
“We would again like to express our deepest condolences to the girl’s family and friends.”
Liquid Leisure has been approached for comment.
In a statement last week, the company said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and all those affected by this desperately tragic and upsetting incident.
“As Thames Valley Police are in the early stages of investigation, it would not be right for us to add further comment, but we will continue to fully support and assist them throughout the process.”
A 41-year-old woman who was at the water park on August 6 told the PA news agency that her teenage daughter had felt unsafe on the inflatable and she criticised what she saw as the inattentiveness of some Liquid Leisure staff.
She added that “not everyone was wearing life jackets”.