…but hoteliers are slow to respond

Hoteliers with swimming pools were reluctant to adopt safety standards imposed after two children were drowned in accidents in Newquay, a Cornish council heard last week.

At the beginning of this year's tourist season, in spite of two court cases resulting in hefty fines against the hotels where the drownings took place, only 10 pools out of 136 in the Restormel Borough Council area had complied with the appropriate safety standards, councillors were told. Faults included poor life-saving equipment, improper supervision and too few checks on water clarity.

Most pools are now up to standard, said council officers. But councillor Andrew Waters said that pool owners were "initially reluctant to take up the council's advice and our officers met with some difficulty when trying to implement safetystandards".