A FAMILY today welcomed the safety legacy which followed their daughter's tragic holiday death and insisted: "This must never be allowed to happen again."

Kirsty Wright fell into the spa pool while on a family holiday at the Greek resort of Kos, in October. An inquest heard how the two-year-old had gone out of her parents' sight for "just a matter of minutes" as she went to play with a friend.

Blackburn MP and Foreign Secretary today vowed to take up the issue of swimming pool safety with his counterparts from major tourist destinations -- as he already has done with the Greek Foreign Minister.

Rossendale-based holiday firm Airtours has revealed that improved safety measures have been introduced at the hotel following the death, including a locked gate to prevent youngsters wandering up the steps to the spa.

Speaking after the inquest Kirsty's dad said he hoped no other parent would go through what he and Linda had been through.

The family's solicitor said the couple were considering the option of civil action, adding that if safety measures that have been implemented now had been in place then, Kirsty may still be alive.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Michael Singleton said it was impossible for parents to watch their children 24 hours a day and added no criticism at all should be levelled at mum and dad Lee and Linda Wright, of Pilmuir Road, Blackburn.

He called for others to learn lessons from the tragedy to avoid any repeat.

Today Sir Robert Atkins, Conservative MEP for the North West and spokesman for tourism, said he would raise the issue of safety at all hotels with the Greek ambassador -- but warned it was the Greek government itself which could act.

Although contacted two months ago on the same issue, he admitted he had yet to make any representations.

He said: "People must understand that this is almost certainly a matter for the Greeks rather than the European Commission, or anyone else for that matter. We have very little influence.

The manager of the hotel refused to comment.

The inquest heard that Lee and Linda took Kirsty and her brothers William and Matthew, to Hotel Ilios, Tingaki, in Kos, for a fortnight's holiday, last September.

Towards the end of the holiday -- on October 3 -- Kirsty was playing with a friend she had made. Lee told the coroner that Kirsty, who would have turned three in December, had been out of his sight for minutes when he heard somebody shout "your little girl is in the pool." Lee rushed to see Kirsty at the side of the hotel's spa pool after being dragged out by a holidaymaker. She had walked up the steps to the spa pool and fallen in.

He attempted to revive his daughter using mouth to mouth resuscitation. The inquest heard how two representatives from Airtours were quickly on the scene, although none offered to administer first aid.

Lee told the inquest that he never used the hotel's spa and daily warned Kirsty to stay away from it. He produced photographs for the coroner, taken by a friend who visited the same hotel some weeks after, which showed improved safety measures.

He said: "There are railings that were not there before and a locking gate. A bush that obscured the view has been cut back."

Mr Singleton accepted the version of events given to him and the photographic evidence, although at the start of the hearing warned findings would be limited.

Airtours held its own investigation although Mr Singleton expressed his disappointment that nobody from the company attended the inquest. He said: "Airtours were supposed to come but at the last minute said something came up. They have sent a report but I have to say it is not what I expected. The only thing of significance is the answer to the question 'have there been any other incidents like this in the spa pool?' to which they replied 'no'."

A spokesman for the company today could not explain why a representative did not attend but offered its condolences to the family.

The spokesman added the company accepted the coroner's decision and said improved safety measures had been put in place as a result of its internal inquiries.

She said: "We must make sure that a tragedy of this kind does not happen again."

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents today said blanket legislation across Europe would be impossible to police but added more should be done.

Peter Cornall, head of water and leisure safety, said: "Every year British children die in tragic accidents like this. RoSPA feels there still needs to be improvements on the way hotel swimming pools are designed and better safety measures put in place.

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Jack Straw said that a European Union directive would be unlikely and in any case would be ineffective. And he said that the prime responsibility for improving safety rested with British tour operators and overseas hoteliers.

Mr Straw added:

"I took this issue up with the Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou and he was very concerned. I have yet to hear from him.

"This is an issue I shall take up with my foreign minister counterparts from major tourist countries in the margins of other meetings when I can. This was every parent's nightmare. I had a long meeting with the family and the Wrights struck me as very responsible parents.

"I see problems with Euro-wide standards. I think it would be difficult to get a directive passed and in any case I am not sure if it would be effective. I don't see how words in an EU directive would result in improved safety. There would be a problem of enforcement.

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Speaking after the inquest Linda said: "This cannot happen to anybody else." Lee added: "I just don't want anybody to go through what we went through, and are still going through."

John Myles, of Forbes Solicitors, Blackburn, acting for the family, told the inquest that Lee and Linda wanted to get the message across that parents need to be extra vigilant in foreign countries.