Hero who battled to save boy after he collapsed and died at Center Parcs tropical pool slams families for moaning at staff for closing slides and woman for 'demanding a REFUND' as mother cradled dying son

  • Boy was declared dead at the holiday park in Wiltshire on Saturday, August 17
  • He had been playing in the water with three other children just before incident
  • One eyewitness said everyone 'was very upset and anxious about the pool area' 
  • Center Parcs afterwards said it was 'deeply saddened' by the death of the child
  • Were you affected? Email james.wood@mailonline.co.uk or call 0203 615 2574

An heroic father who battled to save a boy after he collapsed and died at a Center Parcs has slammed a woman who demanded a refund after the slides at the park were closed - as the child's mother screamed 'wake up, wake up' at her son.  

Guests watched in horror as staff and members of the public rushed to the stricken boy, believed to be around ten years old, after he collapsed at the holiday park in Wiltshire, Longleat on Saturday, August 17.

Shocked eyewitnesses described adults and children trying to use the slides around the child as he lay dead near the entrance to the wild water rapids. 

Now, a brave father who desperately tried to save the child - performing CPR until paramedics arrived - has slammed the behaviour of guests at the park as the 'brilliant' staff tried to shut down the area.

He told MailOnline: 'The park staff were there within seconds and worked really hard to get the situation under control. It was the adult guests that were at fault. Their behaviour was appalling. 

'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.'

In a statement, Center Parcs said it was 'deeply saddened' by the death of the young boy on Saturday, August 17 (pictured, the sub-tropical paradise at Longleat in Wiltshire)

In a statement, Center Parcs said it was 'deeply saddened' by the death of the young boy on Saturday, August 17 (pictured, the sub-tropical paradise at Longleat in Wiltshire) 

The Center Parcs holiday park in Longleat, Wiltshire is located in the south west of England, near the city of Bath (pictured, a map showing its location). On Saturday, August 17 a child died at the park, in an incident described as 'upsetting' by guests

The Center Parcs holiday park in Longleat, Wiltshire is located in the south west of England, near the city of Bath (pictured, a map showing its location). On Saturday, August 17 a child died at the park, in an incident described as 'upsetting' by guests

The father, who has worked as a prison officer for 28 years, described the scene as 'one of the most horrific' things he's ever seen - and said the child had been suffering from a known condition. 

He said: 'I’ve been a prison officer for around 28 years now and it was one of the most horrific things I’ve seen, his family were all there with him. 

'Staff managed to bring a screen across and give the child some privacy within ten minutes. It was already being used to cover a lady who had fallen over.' 

Staff initially had to contend with members of the public, who continued to use the pool equipment - but they quickly managed to get the situation under control, the prison officer said.

'At the beginning the staff had a difficult time as members of the public just stood there watching, but we managed to get the situation under control quickly. They were brilliant.'    

Center Parcs said it was 'deeply saddened' by the death of the young boy and that it experienced 'very challenging circumstances' that day. 

It added that staff at the holiday park had provided CPR 'with the assistance of medically trained members of the public' until paramedics arrived.

News of the tragedy emerged six days after the incident after distraught families started writing about their experiences on social media. 

One woman said: 'Us and about 20 other people saw this happen on Saturday. It was the worst thing I've ever witnessed and have not been able to get the boy and his family out of my head, or his mum screaming for him to wake up.

'Center Parcs handled it terribly and there was children and adults coming up to use the slides and outdoor area while the boy was lying dead on the floor.

'There was no boards up anywhere to offer support to the people who witnessed it or anything, it all just carried on as normal they didn't even shut the pool.

'And a member of the public administered CPR because the lifeguards were taking too long to come.'       

Familes having fun in the water watched in horror as staff rushed to the stricken boy, who had been playing with three other children (pictured, a sign for Center Parcs in Longleat, Wiltshire)

Familes having fun in the water watched in horror as staff rushed to the stricken boy, who had been playing with three other children (pictured, a sign for Center Parcs in Longleat, Wiltshire)

Dozens of shocked families were splashing around in the pool 'paradise' at around 3.39pm when it happened, leaving them 'upset and anxious' during their break.

One eyewitness, who arrived at the pool soon after the incident, told MailOnline: 'We arrived at the pool as all the alarms were sounding. 

'There were a lot of people crying and lifeguards and staff rushing around. 

'We asked what was going on and a very upset lady said she was outside when a young boy collapsed and was having CPR performed on him.  

'An air ambulance landed and took him off. The whole area was closed off for a few hours and the atmosphere was very sombre and upsetting. 

'Our weekend was constantly thinking of the family and if he pulled through. None of the staff seemed to know, even on Monday when we left. 

'I’m glad I didn’t have my children there with me, as they spend their entire time in the pools and to witness this first hand would have been horrifying for them.'

The woman, who had travelled from Southampton, added that she would have preferred it if the pool had been kept closed throughout the evening.

She said: 'They kept the outside area closed for about three or four hours. Personally out of respect I think they should have kept it closed for the rest of the evening. 

'Also they could have been a little more honest which would have stopped people guessing and coming up with their own stories.'

But she added that screens had been put up relatively quickly following the incident, saying: 'They wouldn’t allow anybody past a certain point and the screens were already up by the time we tried to get through.'   

The layout of the sub-tropical paradise at Center Parcs in Longleat, Wiltshire

The layout of the sub-tropical paradise at Center Parcs in Longleat, Wiltshire. An eyewitness reports children and adults still trying to use slides at the pool as the child lay dead

Another eyewitness said: 'It was reported to us that sadly a child had passed away. There had been some very intense resuscitation attempts by staff.

'I have been shocked and surprised that no acknowledgment or information was given by Center Parcs.

'Everyone was very upset and anxious about the pool area. Center Parcs did not even acknowledge the event anywhere.'  

The complex of self-catering villas, pools, shops, a boating lake and sports centre in Longleat Forest at Warminster is packed with thousands of families during the summer holidays.

In a statement, Center Parcs said: '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.'

When asked about the park's response to the incident, a spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'Our team responded professionally and appropriately in very challenging circumstances. 

'They provided CPR, with the assistance of medically trained members of the public, until paramedics arrived and screened the area from view while the boy was being treated.

'At the family’s request, we did not share any further information on the boy’s condition until the family were comfortable with us doing so.

'We have remained in regular contact with the family throughout the week and they have passed on their gratitude to the team for the way they responded and the immediate medical care they provided.'     

The Tropical Cyclone flume is part of Center Parcs Longleat's 'sub-tropical paradise'

The complex of self-catering villas, pools, shops, a boating lake and sports centre in Longleat Forest at Warminster is packed with thousands of families during the summer holidays (pictured, the sub-tropical paradise at the holiday park)

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust was called to the scene at 3.39pm on Saturday.

Two rapid response vehicles, an ambulance and an air ambulance attended.

Center Parcs opened its Longleat Forest holiday village in 1997 and now operates five short break holiday villages in the UK and one in Ireland.

The company came to the UK in July 1987, when it opened its first village in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, offering short break holidays on a year-round basis.

It offers short breaks in the forest, delivering a range of leisure facilities and more than 200 indoor and outdoor activities.

Villages are set within around 400 acres of natural woodland, with trees, streams and wildlife surrounding accommodation.

At the heart of each village is the Sub-Tropical Swimming Paradise, an extensive range of restaurants, cafés and retail outlets.

**Do you know the family or did you see what happened? Email james.wood@mailonline.co.uk or call 0203 615 2574**

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