Health and safety officials ban paddling pools in case a fire breaks out

Residents have blasted a decision by council housing killjoys to pull the plug on watery summer fun for children as health and safety gone mad. Resourceful parents erected four inflatable paddling pools in a communal garden at council flats in Gadesden Close, Cranham, for children to cool down and play in during the recent heatwave. But officials from Homes in Havering (HiH) - which manages the council's housing stock - ordered the pools to be removed last Thursday (July 22), citing health and safety fears - the day before the children were set to enjoy the summer break. Livid mother Stacey Martin said her daughter Skye, six, and her friends have been left devastated.

"I'm more upset for the children than anything," the 23-year-old said. "When the weather was good they jumped in the pool as soon as they came home from school and were in it all the time at the weekend. They were really looking forward to using it during the summer holidays. The council said it's a health and safety thing, but the pools are chlorinated and there's always a parent supervising each of the pools." Ms Martin said three of the pools were emptied at night, when unsupervised, and the fourth had a secure covering. She added: "The council are always banging on about getting kids fit and healthy and stopping obesity, then when we actually do something about it they put a stop to it - it doesn't make sense!" About 12 youngsters, most aged between four and seven, had been using the pools for three months after they proved a big hit last summer.

A spokesman for HiH confirmed it had ordered the removal because of health and safety issues. "While we don't want to spoil people's fun, Homes in Havering is liable for safety in all the communal areas we manage," he said. "We work closely with the London Fire and Rescue Service and other agencies to minimise the risk of a serious incident, such as a fire, and to ensure that the emergency services are able to gain speedy access when required. For this reason, we do not allow items, such as paddling pools, which could, in certain circumstances obstruct access." But Graham Hart, a senior officer at Hornchurch Fire Station, questioned HiH's reasoning. "I know the estate very well," he said, "and I can see absolutely no access issues whatsoever." He added that the heavy engines are rarely driven onto grass and that if the pools were full they would in fact "come in handy" in a blaze.

A safety expert was also left scratching his head over the decision. "There's no real reason to ban paddling pools that are easy to fill and empty, as long as parents and carers supervise their child properly," said Peter Cornall, head of leisure safety for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. "Kids need to play, especially on a hot summer's day. If you use a paddling pool, just remember to empty the water when you've finished and store it in a safe place. Greater hazards are posed by permanent bodies of water in gardens like ponds or swimming pools. With these it is important to cover them with grilles or block access by removing ladders or locking gates." All four pools have now been taken down.