Injured dad Michael Brooke calls for safety improvements at Huddersfield Pool

Nov 9 2009 By Joanne Douglas

A DAD who injured himself after falling on a broken drain cover at Huddersfield Sports Centre is warning people about its danger.

Michael Brooke, 45, had enjoyed a swimming session with his young son Ayrton last Saturday when he suffered a series of injuries after he slipped on the drain cover in the men’s showers.

The plastic casing came lose and he fell to the floor, bruising his foot, cutting his elbow and causing a groin strain – which made an old hernia problem reoccur.

He reported it to staff at the Southgate swimming pool, but he said they failed to seal the drain cover off from other swimmers after his fall.

Mr Brooke, of Waterloo, said: “I would have accepted it if they had closed off the area to make it safe but they didn’t – that is my concern.

“The manager just said it was a blocked drain but while I was on the floor a lad of about 10-years-old walked by and said he’d hurt himself on the drain a few weeks before.

“I’m just thankful it was me who stepped onto it and not my son.

“But it should never have happened.”

The drainage gully in the men’s showers has a plastic covering, which unbeknown to Mr Brooke, was cracked.

When he walked over the cover it became loose and he slipped.

The injuries he suffered caused several days of pain.

“I was on the floor and someone did get me an ice-pack but I was worried that it could happen to someone else.

“The didn’t seem overly concerned with sealing it off.

“A manager said it was a blocked drain and cleared it out but I could see it was still loose.