Paddling pool banned again

For nearly a quarter of a century, Lourdes Maxwell has celebrated the arrival of summer by putting a paddling pool in the garden.

This year, however, her two grandchildren and the children of her neighbours may have to find another way to cool off in the heat.

Miss Maxwell's local council has decided that the pool - which is only 2ft deep - needs a lifeguard.

The 47-year-old divorced mother of three has also been told she must have insurance before she can inflate the toy outside her house in Portsmouth.

This is just ridiculous. It’s a paddling pool for gods sake! Why can’t councils just let adults take responsibility for their children? Of course this is not the first time this has happened. I blogged about this happening to Katie Joyce almost 3 years ago.

Nothing has changed. Health and safety bureaucrats only do this because they can’t get real jobs and it doesn’t look like national or local government will take action to stop it because they have had 3 years to stop it.