A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl tragically died after getting into difficulties during a swimming lesson at a Blackpool school, it emerged yesterday (Wednesday Nov 14).
Emma Farrar, of Nuttall Road, Blackpool, was one of eleven pupils from Park Special School having a swimming lesson at neighbouring Woodlands School on Whitegate Drive on Tuesday morning (Nov 13) when she began to get into difficulties.
She was pulled from the pool by staff and the swimming instructor tried to resuscitate her.
Police officers and paramedics rushed to the school just before midday and Emma was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital. She died at 9.40pm that evening.
A police spokesman said that a Home Office postmortem examination was carried out yesterday (Wednesday Nov 14).
Blackpool Council's education director Dr David Sanders said the police, Health and Safety Executive and local authority would be carrying out a full-scale investigation into Emma's tragic death.
Dr Sanders said that the children were having one of their weekly swimming lessons at the Woodlands pool when Emma began to get into difficulties.
"The well-rehearsed emergency resuscitation and first aid procedures were put into place by a qualified swimming instructor and school nurse.
"At the same time an ambulance was called and she was taken to hospital. Unfortunately, despite strenuous efforts, the child passed away during the night.
"Council staff and, in particular the staff of the two schools, are obviously very upset and their thoughts and prayers are with the family," he said.
A council spokeswoman said that four staff -- twice the number of required supervisors -- were looking after the children during the swimming lesson.
Det Inspector Peter Broom, who is leading the police investigation into Emma's death, said that her parents were distraught.
"I can only imagine how they feel. I really haven't got words to say how they must be feeling. Distraught is the only word that comes close."
He said that police were interviewing all the members of staff yesterday to try to find out exactly what happened and he hoped to have a fuller picture today (Thursday Nov 15).
Neighbours of the family said that the family had only lived in Nuttall Road for a few weeks.
"It's terrible. The mother only seems young. And they were burgled a couple of weeks after they moved in as well," said one neighbour, who did not want to be named.
"They have another daughter who's about seven. But the little girl used to sit in the front window and look out and wave at us. It's very sad," she said.
Park School, where Emma was a pupil, caters for pupils with moderate and complex learning difficulties. Woodlands School takes pupils with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties.
The pool at Woodlands School -- which is also used by other members of the community -- has been closed until further notice.
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