A council was today fined £12,000 for breaking health and safety rules following the death of a teenager in a local swimming pool.

Former lifeguard Jason Prosser was also fined £500 by magistrates at Scarborough in connection with the tragedy in June, 2000.

Scarborough Borough Council was also ordered to pay the £8,011 costs of the prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive. The case followed the death of a 16-year-old from Hull, John Rudderham, after an epileptic fit at the packed outdoor pool of the Atlantic Water Park in Scarborough.

At an inquest in August 2001 coroner Michael Oakley recorded a verdict of accidental death and criticised the lack of training for lifeguards. And yesterday both the council and Prosser admitted offences under the Health and Safety At Work Act.

Full story in The Northern Echo tomorrow.