A grandmother broke her wrist in three places after slipping off the wall of a seaside paddling pool.And what was a grandmother doing on the wall of a paddling pool?
Well, if the term ‘grandmother’ tends to conjure up a little, apple-cheeked old lady, better not linger on the accompanying photo…
Mary’s grandsons, aged 18, 11 and five, and her ten-year-old granddaughter set off along the rocky wall around the pool, which is covered in slippery seaweed, to reach some other children who were crabbing.Hmmm, well, if you’re going to walk along a slippery, seaweed-coated wall, then clearly you only have
The five year-old slipped, but was grabbed and lifted to safety by his eldest brother.
The shock of seeing her grandson lose his balance caused Mrs Chalk, who had gone with them, to fall into the pool, where she landed awkwardly and broke her wrist in three places.
Wait, what?
She said: “It is not safe at all. They shouldn’t let anyone, adults or children, along that wall.And how exactly are they supposed to stop idiots like you from climbing on the wall, and letting their five year olds climb on the wall? Build another wall around that one, perhaps?
“It is just waiting for a child to slip over and kill themselves.
“I’m just glad it happened to me and not one of my grandchildren.”
And she wasn’t the only adult in the party, either:
Her son Lee, 41, who went to try and help his mum after she fell, also slipped on the wall and cut his hand on a shell, but did not need medical treatment.No doubt that big cheer you just heard was the long-suffering residents of Canvey…
Sherina Chalk, from Orsett, said: “It was so upsetting.
“My poor mum was in so much pain, but she tried to keep her wrist under the water so the children couldn’t see how badly it was broken.
“We certainly won’t be taking our family down there again.”
Andrew Smith, contracts officer at Castle Point Council, said: “We are very sorry to hear about Mrs Chalk’s accident. This is the first we have heard about it, as it was not reported to us.Indeed.
“There are safety signs at the pool, but it is a matter of common sense for users and parents to see that some areas are covered by the natural growth of weed and to be careful. After all, this is a beach.”
Life’s a beach, and sometimes you fall off a wall, Mrs Chalk…
"Life’s a beach, and sometimes you fall off a wall, Mrs Chalk…"
ReplyDeleteCoffee and keyboards don't mix.
N.B. Due to problems of naming, the "new pool" is in fact older than the "Old pool", and they both keep being called a paddling pool when one of them is intended to be a swimming pool but got silted up.
ReplyDeleteThere are two pools; the paddling pool by the Concord Cafe and the swimming pool a little way along Concord beach.
Pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbullock/4337814336/
From the photoset it seems to be that because vandals keep pushing the warning signs over, the council could be at legal risk and is fed up with the argument. The council assessed the cost of fixing the swimming pool.
That document doesn't mention the Concord Cafe paddling pool. It is also very aware that if the pool is vandalized with broken glass, or if people manage to fall off the wall, they could be liable.
There have been protests about the decision to scrap the swimming pool, which the bloggers think is the better facility anyway. At the moment it looks like there is a proposal to transfer the swimming pool to the Town Council and let them deal with it.
Pool protest pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbullock/sets/72157623246491951/with/4337066985/
Canveyisland.org have surveyed the pools. They seem to be saying that the triangular pool by the Concorde Cafe (where Granny Chalk slipped) is indeed more dangerous than the swimming pool further along. However, it was this pool, by the Concord Cafe, which the council already spent £250k on refurbishing, on account of which it is called the New Pool. The paddling pool seems to have been there since 1934, before the Cafe, if this is the right pool.
It's hard not to have some sympathy with the council. The cost of maintaining coastal facilities is great - as I'm sure the Engineer will testify. They also have all the legal liability for any risks, plus they are supposed to magically prevent unpleasant people chucking their glass etc in the water.
As of yesterday the Echo tried to sort the story out. Future of Canvey's new seafront paddling pool uncertain.
Well I suppose she can Chalk that one down to experience.
ReplyDeleteI'm off to get me hat & coat.....
I was impressed to read the comment by one of the council which included a reference to the use of common sense, it gives me hope as I didn't realise that any council employee anywhere in the UK knew what that fucking was!
ReplyDelete"Coffee and keyboards don't mix."
ReplyDelete:D
"...it was this pool, by the Concord Cafe, which the council already spent £250k on refurbishing..."
I wonder if that money would have been better spent on a lifeguard, to ensure idiots don't walk on the slippery wall?
"Well I suppose she can Chalk that one down to experience."
*groan*
"I was impressed to read the comment by one of the council which included a reference to the use of common sense..."
Me too!
I think the fact that this...
ReplyDelete"...cut his hand on a shell, but did not need medical treatment."
... was actually reported says it all really.
Well, I cut my hand and didn't need medical treatment hacking out some bamboo in the garden yesterday. Make my plight know Julia! Please! We must form a support group and consider a class action against China for exporting this potentially lethal plant.