Payout over swimming pool horror

Daniel McCarrick broke his neck in the accident at Skipsea Sands Holiday Park, where he was staying five years ago while working as a heating engineer, confining him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

Judge Allan Gore QC, who presided at a High Court trial over the case, said owner Park Resorts Ltd was responsible for Mr McCarrick’s injuries because it knew the pool was not safe for diving and took no steps to warn visitors, either through signs or using a life-guard.

The judge also found the lighting in the pool hall made the depth of the water difficult to gauge.

Mr McCarrick, from New Moston, in Manchester, said: “The past five years have been so horrible and it’s hard for me to come to terms with how much my life has changed.

“My family know that I’ve always been a sensible lad and I would never put myself at risk or do anything silly.

“If I had seen any ‘no diving’ signs I would have definitely taken notice and obeyed them, it’s just how I’ve been brought up. It was only after the accident that I found out I’d dived into just one metre of water.”

Matt Brown, from Irwin Mitchell solicitors, which represented Mr McCarrick, said the settlement would give him access to rehabilitation and care services to allow him to live independently and improve his quality of life.

“We hope that other pool operators learn valuable lessons from this tragic case so that no-one else is seriously hurt in accidents like this,” he added.