WATER babies have been given the all-clear to use two slides at Chester's Northgate Arena after an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive.

The HSE examined the slides after a complaint from a parent who was worried the slides did not lead into a sufficient depth of water at the shallow end of the main public pool.

A swimming coach with 27 years' experience advised her clients not to use the features for the same reason.

Arena management has always insisted the slides were put in according to the manufacturer's instructions and were satisfied there are no health and safety issues.

This position has now been confirmed by the HSE which visited the pool to carry out tests.

Spokesman Paul Brady said: 'The HSE have been along and visited the pool and found the slides meet all the manufacturer's guidelines. The slides must lead into a minimum depth of 15cm of water and in Chester they go into 20cm.'

Mr Brady said the slides were so small they were not governed by a national standard but the HSE was satisfied the manufacturer's recommendations were sufficient.

He said swimming pools were generally the responsibility of a council's health and safety department but for historical reasons the HSE had taken on the role at the Northgate Arena. He said this role would now revert to the city council, in line with national procedure.

One mother, who lives in Chester, said: 'It's the safety of the children at the end of the day. I certainly kept my toddler away from it. I feel it is an accident waiting to happen.'

She added: 'Little ones could easily slip and crack their head open. We complained but they really would not have it.'

Chester parent Gaile Stanley, who takes her two-year-old child Jake to lessons at the pool, complained to the Health and Safety Executive because of her concerns. She has now been informed of its decision not to take the matter any further but has always felt her fears were not taken seriously.

She said: 'If people complain they are doing it because they are concerned. We all have to take responsibilities for things.'

Swimming teacher Val Paterson, who is a qualified PE teacher, has the ASA swimming teaching award and takes the lifesaving qualification every two years, has said: 'Having suffered from a bent coccyx as a child myself, I am anxious that the depth of water is not sufficient to cushion the fall. That's my opinion.'

Mrs Paterson said she had carried out her own risk assessment and she asks parents in her classes not to use the slides.

John O'Neill, general manager of the Arena, told The Chronicle previously that the slides were bought from JP Lennard of Leicester and fitted according to their requirements by a professional company.

Mr O'Neill said the Arena had also carried out its own risk assessment and concluded the slides were safe.

He added that if this process had not been followed there would be an insurance issue. He said the small slides were designed to provide some excitement for toddlers and prepare them for the flume.