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Home / Lifestyle

Boy collapses and dies at resort pool as 'appalling' guests demand refunds

NZ Herald
25 Aug, 2019 11:50 PM2 mins to read

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The Center Parcs resort at Longleat. Photo / File

The Center Parcs resort at Longleat. Photo / File

Disgruntled guests demanded refunds as a young boy lay dying at a UK holiday resort, complaining that they should get their money back because they "couldn't use the slides".

The boy, believed to be around 10, collapsed and died near the entrance to the rapids at the Center Parcs resort at Longleat in Wiltshire, a popular destination that features swimming pools and slides inside a tropical dome.

A father who desperately tried to save the boy's life has told the Daily Mail that some guests' behaviour was "appalling", saying that they tried to interrupt him as he performed CPR.

"While I was giving CPR a woman came up to me and asked if she could go into the pool. And then she started asking staff if she could get a refund on her holiday because she couldn't use the slides."

The veteran prison officer said the scene was "one of the most horrific" things he had ever seen, with the child's mother screaming "wake up, wake up" at her son, who suffered from a known condition.

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He told the Mirror that the woman whinged to staff, saying "Why can't I go in the rapids? I've spent a bloody fortune on this place!"

Center Parcs issued a statement on the incident, saying: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic news that a young guest passed away after becoming unwell whilst at Longleat Forest.

"Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time. We are continuing to offer our support to the family and to our employees who provided immediate assistance."

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