A YOUNG mother was told that she could not sit at the poolside while her three-year-old son was having a swimming lesson, last Wednesday. David Orme said his wife Debbie was amongst a group of parents at their usual poolside bench who were told to move to the upstairs gallery. The parents were accompanying toddlers on the first Swimming Academy level one session of the new summer term at Alton Sports Centre. They had returned after the Easter break to find poolside notices prohibiting non-swimmers from the pool area. The parents were disturbed at being forced to leave their toddlers, some only just three, in the care of just one instructor and two lifeguards. The concern was not so much for the safety of the children under supervision in the training pool, but if the children chose to get out of the pool and start running around. The training pool is immediately adjacent to the main pool. Despite threats of calling the police, the anxious parents refused to budge. "It's bureaucracy gone mad," said Mr Orme. New Alton Sports Centre general manager, Jamie Banwell-Clode, explained that the decision to ban parents from poolside during lessons was based on new health and safety regulations, recently adopted by DC Leisure in line with Amateur Swimming Association. The thinking was that parents sitting in close proximity tended to distract the children, and that this could have a disruptive effect on the lessons. Their presence was also felt to be hazardous in that it could obstruct the lifeguards' view of the pool. It was also a hygiene problem when adults did not use overshoes. Mr Banwell-Clode pointed out that signs announcing the change in policy had been up for the past six weeks and the new ruling had come into play after Easter. He explained that there was a hand-over point three metres from poolside where the children were given into the care of the instructor and each class only involved up to eight children. Up to the age of three parents would be expected to be in the pool with the children but over that age tots were felt to be old enough to be in the water with the instructor and accompanying lifeguard cover. "It is a change from what happened previously but hopefully parents will get used to it. We will review the procedure if we feel that it is not working," Mr Banwell-Clode added.
