Woman takes legal action for chlorine exposure at spa

A woman has said she is taking legal action after being exposed to excess levels of chlorine while swimming at a pool in Derbyshire.

Enid Hollingworth, 71, is one of four people taken to hospital after a chemical leak at Clifford’s Gym and Spa in Regent Street, Long Eaton, on 7 January.

Mrs Hollingworth said she was awaiting surgery on her eye as a consequence of the exposure and added “lessons need to be learned”.

The owner of the gym, Mark Clifford said internal investigations remained ongoing and it was “not therefore appropriate to provide any further comment”.

“I think it’s important for everybody to feel safe when they go for a swim, when they think they are doing something healthy.

“People are dealing with very dangerous chemicals, chlorine is a very dangerous chemical, and I think it needs to be thoroughly looked into.

“It just can’t be allowed to happen again to anyone else,” Mrs Hollingworth said.

Clifford Health Club and Spa said the leak in January happened after staff had failed to follow correct procedures.

It said there had been a build-up of dry chlorine in the pipework of a hydrotherapy pool which was undergoing maintenance.

Enid Hollingworth is one of three people who are now seeking compensation.

Ahmed Jarad, associate solicitor at Express Solicitors, said: “We were approached by three clients to take legal action under common law negligence and breach of section two of the Occupiers Liability Act 1957.

“Ultimately it’s to make sure that this doesn’t happen again to anyone else to make sure that the health club are held accountable.

“People expect to go to their local health club to better their health, not damage it, and I think unfortunately on this occasion that wasn’t the case.”

Mrs Hollingworth, said she was struggling to get back into a swimming pool after the chlorine exposure left her with a four-month-long cough and problems with her left eye.

“I don’t know how I’m going to react when I smell the chlorine, so I really don’t have the confidence to go back to swimming and that was a big part of my fitness regime.

“I suffer from back pain and I have osteoarthritis arthritis and the swimming was really good but I still feel that I haven’t got the courage to go back.”

Erewash Borough Council said its investigation into the leak was continuing.