Coroner’s concern that staff are yet to undergo health and safety training at Waveney River Centre holiday park where Maya Kantengule drowned

Waveney River Centre holiday park in Burgh St Peter. Picture James Bass. (Image: Archant Norfolk � 2016)

Senior coroner Jacqueline Lake made the comment at the end of a two-day inquest into the death of Maya Kantengule, who died at Waveney River Centre holiday park in Burgh St Peter.

The Dell Primary School pupil, who could not swim unaided, was found at the bottom of a swimming pool on May 1, 2016, after it had been hired out for her best friend's birthday party.

Giving evidence, the park's managing director, James Knight, said that risk assessments had been in place for the pool and that all health and safety guidelines were adhered to.

But following the tragedy last year, the inquest heard how the park was given an improvement notice by the Health and Safety Executive after finding that a risk assessment was not in place for children's pool parties.

The Waveney River Centre. Incident at the pool involving a young girl. Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk � 2016)

Mrs Lake also expressed her concerns that staff had not received formal training more than a year after the death, which was recorded as 'accidental' by a jury in Norwich on Thursday.

However, she recognised that an external provider had been brought in to update the park's risk assessments, and that pool parties were no longer being held there.

She also noted that health and safety training was being looked at, but was yet to be arranged.

'I am concerned that no member of staff at Waveney River Centre has undergone any formal health and safety training within an organisation that deals with members of the public,' she said.

Mrs Lake said she would be putting a report together on the issue.

The inquest heard how no lifeguards were on duty on the day of the tragedy - as stated in the pool rules - but nine parents were watching the children from an observation area - with another watching from outside.

Mr Knight said the parents' supervision on the day was not 'adequate', adding that the rules stated an adult should have been in the pool with the children.

Jane Rainer, who organised the party for her daughter, told the inquest that she dived into the pool fully-clothed after spotting Maya underwater. She was given CPR at the scene and taken to the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, but died later that day.