THE tragic holiday drowning of a St Helens youngster this weekend has brought an angry attack from another local man whose own daughter had an earlier lucky escape in the same pool.

Six-year-old Michael Paul Eden, from Hignett Avenue, Parr, died only hours after he and his family; mum Karen and brother and sister, Ryan (5) and 12 year old Cheryl, arrived at the Marine Caravan Park in Rhyl when he went in the camp's pool.

Michael, a pupil at Broad Oak Primary School, was eventually spotted and pulled out by one of the lifeguards before a North Wales Police helicopter airlifted him to Glan Clwyd Hospital where he later died.

But the tragedy came as no surprise to Laffak man, Steven Wainwright, who claims the same fate could so easily have befallen his own daughter.

Steven, his wife Janet and their five-year-old daughter Jessica went to the same caravan park earlier this year. He told the Star: "I was surprised at the size of the pool, it was much smaller than I expected and it was packed out when we got there. There were concrete slabs surrounding the water and they were soaking wet and very slippery and as Jessica was walking past the pool, I saw her slip and fall in. I was frantic that she might be in danger and was treading water trying to get to her quickly. Fortunately, she was alright and I managed to pick her out. But the worst thing was that a lifeguard was sat almost right in front of us and he did absolutely nothing. I went mad at him when we got out, but he didn't even look at me. I was really angry about it and we never went near that pool again."

He added: "My sympathy goes out to the Eden family and it's tragic that it has to take something like this to make people sit up and realise there is a problem."

An inquest into Michael's death was adjourned on Monday, August 18 and North Wales Police are now investigating Michael Eden's death but say there are no suspicious circumstances.

Marine Caravan Park have declined to comment.

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