Kyra Hill death: Liquid Leisure water park fined £80,000

A water park has been fined £80,000 after an 11-year-old girl drowned while attending a birthday party.

Kyra Hill, from Croydon, south London, was found more than an hour after she went missing at Liquid Leisure, near Datchet, Berkshire, in August 2022.

The company previously pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the safety of a member of the public.

A judge at Reading Crown Court ordered the company to pay £30,000 costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.

A witness previously said between 30 and 40 people, including lifeguards and other swimmers, jumped into the water to search for the girl when she went missing on August 6.

Emergency services were called at 15:55 BST and she was found just after 17:10 when she was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.

In an earlier statement, Liquid Leisure said the incident happened in a “designated swimming area of ​​our lake which is always staffed by a fully trained Life Saving Society lifeguard”.

The water park was immediately closed for investigations and was allowed to partially reopen by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead several months later.

The council, which brought the charge, said: “We welcome the judge’s decision to hand down a firm sentence which reflects the seriousness of this case.

“The legal duty is on businesses to fully comply with their legal requirements to manage and minimize risks to their staff and customers.”

Earlier, Kyra’s father Leonard Hill paid tribute to his “beautiful, brave, determined, happy and loving” daughter.

He added: “She stood for what was true and right and was a natural leader.”

Liquid Leisure, which offers a range of water sports at the centre, has been contacted for comment.