A SWIMMER has attacked a water sports centre claiming one of its water-skiing customers almost ran him over.

Peter Roberts was swimming in the River Weaver at Frodsham when he says a water-skier headed towards him.

Mr Roberts, who alerted police, blames not only the water sports enthusiasts concerned but Alan Turton, owner of Frodsham Water Sports, for his 'unwillingness or inability to supervise and control them'.

Mr Turton, who says he was not working at the time, dismisses the idea one of his customers would aim for him and says it is the swimmer's responsibility to make themselves known.

Mr Roberts, of Lapwing Grove, Palace-fields, Runcorn, said: 'I was swimming in the 'Sandy Cove', well away from the two powerboats on the water at the time, whereupon a water-skier swung straight across.

'Fortunately I was swimming in just one metre of water and he crashed before he could hit me, although his skis only missed my head by inches. Otherwise the result could have been serious or even fatal.'

He claimed the skier and the boat driver told him it was 'private water' and they would ask the owner of Frodsham Water Sports - where they had paid the slipway fee - to have him removed.

Mr Roberts, who has written to Frod-sham Town Council with his concerns, said he was a keen open water swimmer who had swum in the River Weaver every summer since 1976.

He blames Mr Turton for giving the impression that he is the private owner of the water implying that no one else is allowed to enjoy the river.

'As I understand it, the section of the river from its mouth to Johnson's Weir, is classified as tidal, meaning that the public have full access to the water,' said Mr Roberts.

'However in its advertising Frodsham Water Sports claims to have 'a mile and a half of private ski water' - in other words it has appropriated a public resource to which it has no right.'

Mr Roberts says powerboats dominate the river scene but he wished to reclaim it for himself and other users including local youngsters.

He said: 'My desire to swim outdoors is neither perverse nor unusual - should you take a look at the River and Lake Swimming Association's website you will see that 'wild swimming' is an activity with an enthusiastic and steadily growing following.' He said tests by the Environment Agency had shown the Weaver to meet EU bathing water standards, and in an average summer the water temperature was typically much warmer than the sea at around 20-25ºC (68-77ºF).

Alan Turton, owner of Frodsham Water Sports Centre, agreed people had a right to swim in the Weaver but said swimmers had to make themselves known to powerboats given they were difficult to spot. Ideally, he asked Mr Roberts to pop into the shop before taking a dip so he could alert his customers.

'He should make himself known by putting his arm aloft,' he said.

Mr Turton said he only had five members who owned powerboats and they, as well as the water skiers, had to pass a Powerboat level two exam before they were allowed on the water. He said he had barred people in the past if he was unhappy.

'I know the people who ski here. They are mature people, professional people and I honestly cannot believe anybody would ski towards a person.'

He justified the claim that the stretch of river was 'private ski water' in so much as boat owners could not launch at any other point in the river.

A Cheshire police spokesman said police had visited the scene of Friday's alleged incident and spoken to the skiers and staff at the water sports office and advised them accordingly. He confirmed the river was for the use of the public.