swimming pool bans child floats under health and safety laws

Private Harpers
Operating companies operating sports centres on behalf of dozens of local authorities in the South-
East, has decided that its swimming aids can only be used in paid courses under close supervision.
After a so-called choking incident, it developed a policy to put all the floats out of reach, raising concerns about litigation.
While the staff were informed of the policy, its existence was only revealed when office staff Sarah Swain went swimming with a friend.
Swain MS, 31, said: \"I took some swimming lessons last year, but I still don\'t have much confidence in water.
\"She and her friend Lyndsey Shaw visited the Harper swimming pool in the sports center owned by the borough council under the Burks.
\"The first thing I do as a non-swimmer is to look for a float.
I was surprised to see nothing in the water or at the edge of the pool, \"added Swain MS from Berks Thatcham.
\"Just then, I saw a pile of things stacked in a cabinet.
The door was half open so I went to buy one but was stopped by the lifeguard.
\"He is very sorry, but I can\'t have one for health and safety reasons.
When I asked him why he said that the company banned them from distributing because a child was almost choked by a child.
\"I said, \'I am not a child, but he said it was a rule \'.
\"When you\'re 31, it\'s embarrassing enough to have to admit that you can\'t swim, but it\'s obvious to be told that you can\'t float on the water for health and safety reasons.
\"What are they going to do next?
There is no water in the swimming pool in case someone is drowning.
This is ridiculous.
A spokesman for Harper said: \"In the Loden Valley, we usually do not distribute floats or swimming aids during public swimming, because we would prefer those who are less confident in the water not to enter deeper water.
\"However, swimmers can use floats during classes and swimming schools.
\"We offer a range of swimming classes and welcome the public to join if they want to improve their confidence.
\"This is the latest example of the pool banning aids for health and safety reasons.
In November 2008, a water world worker at pollahoe, Northumberland, refused to give a five-year-old a float.
They stipulate that young children should not be provided with water aids and wings designed to prevent children from drowning because they may spread infections.
Swimming pool operator North Leisure revealed that the same rules were introduced at nearby venues in Hexham and Alnwick.
Three a year ago-year-
In Devon, Exeter, a little girl was banned from swimming pool floats in case she was injured by polystyrene.
A lifeguard at the Pyramid Leisure center said that if the user is injured and prosecuted, he is prohibited from lending color cars in addition to supervising the meeting.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, the Leicester County Council warned schools not to wear goggles, as goggles may be stuck in the faces of young people or have them hit each other due to decreased peripheral vision.
On January, dozens of children were confiscated \"dangerous\" glasses while attending Saturday\'s swimming Festival at the Winter Palace leisure center in Wijk, Leicester.