Latest news with #KyraHill
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Kyra Hill's parents say regulations 'would save children's lives'
The parents of an 11-year-old girl who drowned at an aqua park have called for tighter regulations so other families do not have to "bury their children".Kyra Hill got into difficulty in a designated swimming area at Liquid Leisure near Windsor, Berkshire, in August May, an inquest concluded she was unlawfully killed following gross breaches in health and safety, including the lack of an emergency plan or an adequate risk parents, Heather Parker and Leonard Hill, said regulations such as the requirement for emergency plans and clear signage could prevent future unavoidable drownings at water parks. "There's no way that this should be happening in 2025 in the UK - it shouldn't be happening to our children," said Mr Hill. Kyra was attending a birthday party at the Berkshire aqua park on 6 August 2022 when she went inquest heard a 17-year-old lifeguard spotted her struggling and dived in after her, but she said visibility was "terrible" and she "couldn't see anything".Despite being told Kyra had got out, the lifeguard told colleagues and a manager quickly attended. Emergency services were called 37 minutes after Kyra was last was found at about 17:10 BST, more than an hour after she was last seen, and pronounced dead in hospital. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Girl died at water park birthday party which did not have the right planning permission
A water park where an 11-year-old girl drowned did not have planning permission to host birthday parties, it has emerged. Kyra Hill drowned after getting into difficulty in the water at Liquid Leisure in August 2022. Newly-released council documents show it did not have permission to be a party venue or children's play centre. An inquest last month recorded a verdict that the schoolgirl was unlawfully killed. A new report from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead's planning committee has revealed there was also no permission in place for the site to be used as an aqua theme park. The inquest in Reading found Kyra had been unlawfully killed as a result of gross breaches in health and safety at the park. The water park was also fined £80,000 in June last year for health and safety failures. Liquid Leisure was originally granted planning permission to be used for water-skiing and wind surfing in 1988. A planning enforcement notice issued to the company in December 2020 accused it of several planning breaches. It said these included the 'material change of use of the land' to a 'mixed use' comprising an 'aqua theme park', 'caravan and camping site', 'party venue' and 'child's play centre.' The BBC reported that Liquid Leisure appealed to the Government's Planning Inspectorate in February 2021 to overturn the enforcement notice, arguing that many of the activities were covered by the permitted use and that the council's theme park description was inaccurate. The firm withdrew its appeal in September 2022, following the death of Kyra who lived in Croydon with her family. The council also issued Liquid Leisure a breach of condition notice in October 2021, concerning breaches in its original planning permission restricting the erection of buildings and extensions. An application for retrospective planning permission for elements of the water park was submitted in February 2024. The council's development management committee will consider this application on Thursday. The application is to keep water-skiing on the southern lake and to use the northern lake for open water swimming, paddle-boarding and a small aqua park. A planning officer's report to be considered by the committee said that the new arrangements would 'reduce the scale of activities' and recommends that councillors vote to approve it. The report states that it will not cause issues relating to public safety provided the correct precautions are carried out in the operation of the site as required by health and safety legislation. A council spokesman said that the current enforcement notice had been partially complied with but was still in place. The spokesman added: 'The outcome of the current planning application will inform the next steps.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Girl died at water park birthday party which did not have the right planning permission
A water park where an 11-year-old girl drowned did not have planning permission to host birthday parties, it has emerged. Kyra Hill drowned after getting into difficulty in the water at Liquid Leisure in August 2022. Newly-released council documents show it did not have permission to be a party venue or children's play centre. An inquest last month recorded a verdict that the schoolgirl was unlawfully killed. A new report from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead's planning committee has revealed there was also no permission in place for the site to be used as an aqua theme park. The inquest in Reading found Kyra had been unlawfully killed as a result of gross breaches in health and safety at the park. The water park was also fined £80,000 in June last year for health and safety failures. Planning breaches Liquid Leisure was originally granted planning permission to be used for water-skiing and wind surfing in 1988. A planning enforcement notice issued to the company in December 2020 accused it of several planning breaches. It said these included the 'material change of use of the land' to a 'mixed use' comprising an 'aqua theme park', 'caravan and camping site', 'party venue' and 'child's play centre.' The BBC reported that Liquid Leisure appealed to the Government's Planning Inspectorate in February 2021 to overturn the enforcement notice, arguing that many of the activities were covered by the permitted use and that the council's theme park description was inaccurate. The firm withdrew its appeal in September 2022, following the death of Kyra who lived in Croydon with her family. The council also issued Liquid Leisure a breach of condition notice in October 2021, concerning breaches in its original planning permission restricting the erection of buildings and extensions. An application for retrospective planning permission for elements of the water park was submitted in February 2024. The council's development management committee will consider this application on Thursday. The application is to keep water-skiing on the southern lake and to use the northern lake for open water swimming, paddle-boarding and a small aqua park. A planning officer's report to be considered by the committee said that the new arrangements would 'reduce the scale of activities' and recommends that councillors vote to approve it. The report states that it will not cause issues relating to public safety provided the correct precautions are carried out in the operation of the site as required by health and safety legislation. A council spokesman said that the current enforcement notice had been partially complied with but was still in place.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Kyra Hill death: Liquid Leisure had incorrect planning permission
A water park where an 11-year-old girl drowned during a birthday party did not have planning permission to be used as a party venue or child's play centre, council documents Hill got into difficulty in a designated swimming area at Liquid Leisure near Datchet, Berkshire, in August 2022.A new report from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead's planning committee shows there was also no permission in place for the site to be used as an aqua theme park. An inquest last month found Kyra had been unlawfully killed as a result of gross breaches in health and safety at the park. Liquid Leisure has not responded to a request for comment. The water park was also fined £80,000 in June last year for health and safety Leisure was originally granted planning permission to be used for water-skiing and wind surfing in a planning enforcement notice issued to the company in December 2020 accused it of several planning said these included the "material change of use of the land" to a "mixed use" comprising an "aqua theme park", "caravan and camping site", "party venue" and "child's play centre". Liquid Leisure appealed to the government's Planning Inspectorate in February 2021 to overturn the enforcement notice, arguing that many of the activities were covered by the permitted use and that the council's theme park description was it withdrew its appeal in September 2022 following Kyra's council also issued Liquid Leisure a breach of condition notice in October 2021, concerning breaches in its original planning permission restricting the erection of buildings and application for retrospective planning permission for elements of the water park was submitted in February council's development management committee will consider this on application wants to keep water-skiing on the southern lake, and to use the northern lake for open water swimming, paddleboarding, and a small aqua park.A planning officer's report says this will "reduce the scale of activities" and recommends that councillors vote to approve report says it will "not cause issues relating to public safety provided the correct precautions are carried out in the operation of the site as required by health and safety legislation".A council spokesperson said the current enforcement notice had been "partially complied with" but was still in added: "The outcome of the current planning application will inform the next steps." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Grieving family of girl, 11, who drowned at waterpark which had no signs warning of deep water say they never received an apology - after coroner ruled she was unlawfully killed
The grieving family of an 11-year-old schoolgirl who drowned at a waterpark which had no signs warning of deep water have demanded an apology after accusing the company of showing 'no remorse'. Kyra Hill got into difficulty in a designated swimming area at Liquid Leisure near Windsor, Berkshire, on August 6 2022 while enjoying a birthday party. She did not return to the changing room, sparking 'chaos' as parents and staff started screaming her name across the Total Wipeout-style assault course. Despite emergency services being called, Kyra was not rescued for almost two hours after which she was taken to Wexham Park Hospital, in Slough, where she was pronounced dead. Senior coroner Heidi Connor concluded that Kyra had been unlawfully killed following gross health and safety breaches at the park. Now Kyra's parents, Leonard Hill and Heather Parker, have criticised the company and said they find it 'distasteful' that they have never received an apology from them two years after their devastating loss. In an interview with Sky News after the inquest, Mr Hill said: 'Liquid Leisure have never been in touch with me personally, never sent us a word of condolence not even an email to say sorry for your loss. Nothing. And I find that very distasteful of them.' The grieving father said although an apology can't bring back his little girl but he would have appreciated the gesture, adding: 'A young girl has died on your premises - 11 years old and she should've been safe. Kyra's parents Leonard Hill and Heather Parker (pictured) have criticised the company and said they have never received an apology or any words of condolence Senior coroner Heidi Connor concluded that Kyra had been unlawfully killed following gross health and safety breaches at the park 'And you've acknowledged some of your failings but to turn around and do the gracious thing and apologise, it wouldn't have brought Kyra back but it would have shown a small source of remorse. 'But they've not done that.' MailOnline has contacted Liquid Leisure for comment. The coroner pointed to failings in health and safety measures at Liquid Leisure in relation to Kyra's death. The breaches were linked to the depth and visibility of the water and the absence of an emergency plan and risk assessment, she found. There were no signs warning of deep water despite it reaching 4.67 metres in parts of the designated swimming area, Ms Conner said. 'In fact the only sign present warned of shallow water', she added. Parents and carers were not advised to attend with children in a ratio of one to four, and young children were permitted to swim without buoyancy aids, Ms Connor said. There was also no emergency plan or risk assessment that took those factors into account, and no control measures were identified and put in place to 'take account of these clear risks', she said. In the interview with Sky, Mr Hill described the terrible moment he was told of the death of his daughter. He said: 'It's the most disturbing phone call I've ever received in my life, the most disturbing phone call that Kyra is underwater, that Kyra is missing.' He added that he didn't want to believe it could have been her and said he still held out hope that she would be found alive. He said: 'I was hoping Kyra was washed up on a bank somewhere safe and breathing. I could never have imagined she went down and was left in the same spot for two hours. 'It's a horrible call to receive. I remember it like it was yesterday but to hear that your daughter is underwater - you're searching online how long can someone survive underwater? 'You can see that within ten minutes they can come out brain damaged but there's still a chance of survival. 'I remain of the stance she could've been saved and she should've been saved and if Liquid Leisure had emergency plans in place she could have been saved and they didn't and that's very sad.' The lake was 8.8ft deep where Kyra was seen going under, a report carried out after the incident found. At around 3.20pm on August 6 2022, a 17-year-old lifeguard spotted Kyra struggling and dived in after her before leaving the water to radio her colleagues. A manager attended rapidly but 37 minutes passed before 999 was called, Mrs Connor previously told the hearing. Around 13 minutes before emergency services were contacted, the park owner attempted to phone a divemaster and off-duty firefighter, the inquest had heard. The diver, Chris Knight, missed several calls and CCTV showed him first entering the water with an oxygen tank at 4.33pm. Mr Knight previously told the inquest that he searched two parts of the lake before he was told that CCTV showed Kyra going under at another location. He found Kyra near the third area at around 5.09pm. He said that as far as he was aware no-one had looked at the CCTV by the time he arrived at the park. Describing his daughter, Mr Hill said: 'Kyra was my princess, she was the perfect child, she did everything right she made me so proud. 'I look at Kyra's pictures everyday and its breaks me. I have to stand at her graveside to speak to her now and it breaks me, going over those days are sickening.' Her mother, Ms Parker described her daughter as happy and positive, choking back tears she add: 'Kyra was just happy she was always happy, always active from the moment she woke up she was just a bundle of joy, always positive. 'She was loving, so loving she always wanted to help people do what was right.' The distraught parents are now demanding changes to the regulations around water parks to prevent against future deaths. Mr Hill told Sky News that seeing an improvement in the law is something he thinks Kyra would be proud of, saying: 'Nothing is ever going to bring Kyra back but I want to see the change implemented by those in power who have the power.' He concluded the interview by saying: 'She would have wanted change and to know she did not die in vain she would be smiling from the heavens to know the law was changed and no other children suffered the pain she did.'
