GAZETTE & HERALD: A grateful customer who injured her neck in a freak swimming accident in Chippenham Olympiad's pool gave attentive staff flowers to thank them for their care.

The woman was hurt last Wednesday afternoon when a boy, who failed to see her as she swam in the shallow end, jumped into the pool, landing on top of her.

Lifeguards immediately went to the woman's aid and fearing a spinal injury put a collar on her badly bruised neck. They kept her knelt in the water and reassured her until the emergency services arrived.

Two firefighters from Chippenham stripped off and entered the pool to help three lifeguards who were in the water with the woman, gently lift her onto a floating spinal board.

Sub Officer Jack Nicholson, who attended the scene, said: "She needed a bit of reassurance because she was in a certain degree of pain.

"People are always concerned when they suffer a neck injury, but she managed to keep calm, although she was clearly upset."

The woman was then lifted out of the emergency exit at the rear of the pool and put on board an air ambulance, which had landed 200 yards away from the centre, in Monkton Park.

Gary Milne, North Wiltshire Leisure Ltd's head of operations, said the woman, who is not a regular customer, returned to the Olympiad the next day with flowers to thank staff for their kindness.

"That's what our staff are trained and qualified to do," he said.

"At the end of the day she suffered a bruised neck, but in other circumstances it could have been worse."

Sub officer Nicholson at Chippenham Fire Station said the fire brigade received an emergency call just after 3pm.

Mr Milne said staff at the Olympiad called the ambulance services first, who then contacted the fire brigade, which sent a five-man crew to the scene.

The Olympiad said the safety measures in place at the pool worked successfully and there would be no need for a review of procedures.