A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl died in hospital after getting into difficulties at a swimming lesson at a Blackpool School on Tuesday.

Emma Farrar of Nuttall Road, Blackpool, was one eleven pupils from Park Special School having a swimming lesson at neighbouring Woodlands School on Whitegate Drive on Tuesday morning when she began to get into diffculties.

She was pulled from the pool and the swimming instructor tried to resuscitate her. Police officers and paramedics also rushed to the school just before midday. Emma was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital. She died at 9.40pm that day.

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.

Blackpool Council's education director David Sanders said that the pool at Woodlands School had been closed until further notice. Police, Health and Safety Executive and local authority will be carrying out a full-scale investigation into Emma's tragic death.

Mr Sanders said: "Council staff, and in particular the staff of the two schools, are obviously very upset and their thoughts and prayers are with the family."

DI Peter Broom who is leading the police investigation had spoken to Emma's parents and said that they were distraught.