A LIFEGUARD ignored the pleas of a teacher to rescue a drowning boy from the bottom of a pool, an inquest was told yesterday.

Seven-year-old Anthony Armstrong died after lying unconscious for three minutes in full view of lifeguard Julie Blayney.

An inquest in Newcastle heard how the youngster had gone to the Wet 'n' Wild! water park in North Shields, North Tyneside, on August 4, last year.

Anthony had been paddling in the shallow end of the centre's wave pool when he disappeared from view.

He was eventually rescued and taken to Newcastle General Hospital, where he remained on a ventilator for two days.

A post-mortem examination by Home Office pathologist Nigel Cooper revealed he had died from massive brain damage as a result of near drowning.

Primary teacher Caroline Elton, who saw Anthony at the bottom of the pool, told the inquest she had asked Miss Blayney to rescue him.

She said: "I spoke to a female lifeguard sitting at the side and told her the boy had been under the water for a long time and wasn't moving.

"She said: 'Kids do that all the time'. She said they sat at the bottom and held their breath."

Miss Elton returned minutes later to plead again with Miss Blayney to do something and she eventually jumped in.

Miss Blayney, defending her reactions, said: "Kids pretend they are drowning to wind you up, and try to get you to jump in.

"I became concerned when I saw a shadow on the bottom of the pool. I spoke to another lifeguard and jumped in."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Coroner David Mitford said: "Conclusions will be drawn as to whether Anthony should have been seen sooner under the water.

"It is for the family themselves whether they feel they need to seek any further advice."

Speaking after the hearing, Anthony's mother, Deborah Armstrong, 30, said: "Even if kids do muck around and pretend, you can't take chances.

"Anthony wasn't messing around, he was in serious danger - and she did nothing."

The family are now considering taking legal action.

Miss Blayney, who has since left her job as a lifeguard at the centre, declined to speak after the hearing