BOSSES of a Colne factory where a girl drowned will appear in court today charged with breaching health and safety.

Lisa Regan, nine, of Belgrave Road, Colne, fell into a deep water pit at BSN Medical, Glen Mills, Colne, on May 8, 2004.

She was pulled out unconscious but died later in hospital.

The firm, which also operates from Brierfield Mills, Brierfield, along with landlord Empress Mills, which owns Glen Mill, is accused of failing to protect the safety of the public.

Lisa, who could not swim, was playing with friends when she fell into the 4ft 6in of water at the front of the building, where medical supplies are manufactured.

Friend John Murphy, who was six at the time of the incident, also fell in the pit, but was rescued and recovered from the ordeal.

Lisa's mother, Lin Regan, said she was hoping for answers.

She said: "I lost my little girl. She was a real mummy's girl and we were very close.

"It's more than three years since she died. She would have been coming up 13 now and we still have not been able to get any real answers.

"I still find it hard to sleep and when I do I dream about her. Her brother Craig misses her a lot and there is just a gap in our family now."

An inquest was held into Lisa's death in June 2005.

The hearing was told security at the firm had not been as tight as usual on the day of her death because of building work.

The main gates were off their hinges and a gate into the water lodge area, which was normally padlocked, had been secured only with a nylon rope, which the she unpicked with her fingers, the inquest was told.

A health and safety inspector told the inquest the premises were now reasonably secure.