Kyra Hill, 11, 'unlawfully killed' after drowning at Liquid Leisure water park

An 11-year-old girl who drowned in a designated swimming area at a waterpark in Berkshire was unlawfully killed, a coroner has ruled.

Kyra Hill died after getting into difficulty at Liquid Leisure near Windsor while attending a birthday party on August 6, 2022. Her father, Leonard Hill, fought back tears as he read a pen portrait of his daughter to Berkshire Coroner’s Court today.

He said: “Kyra was a beautiful, beaming beacon of light in the lives of all who were fortunate enough to know her."

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He added: “With her naturally enchanting, bright, and beautiful eyes – paired with the softest, sweetest and warmest smile – she captivated hearts effortlessly.

“A spirited individual, Kyra was resolute in her beliefs. She would stand up for what was right without hesitation, always the first to challenge a bully or defend a friend.

“Guided by an unwavering moral compass, she was a protector at heart, fiercely caring for her loved ones and always considering the feelings of others.”

His United-supporting daughter dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. “Had that dream not become her reality, she had her back-up plan to pursue law and become a lawyer and fight for the truth, stating that she would ‘never defend evil people in court’."

The inquest heard that at around 3.20pm, a 17-year-old lifeguard spotted Kyra struggling and dived in after her before leaving the water to radio her colleagues.

A manager attended rapidly but 37 minutes passed before 999 was called, senior coroner Heidi Connor previously said. Around 13 minutes before emergency services were contacted the park owner attempted to phone a divemaster and off-duty firefighter, the inquest had heard.

The diver, Chris Knight, missed several calls and CCTV showed him first entering the water with an oxygen tank at 4.33pm. Mr Knight previously told the inquest that he searched two parts of the lake before he was told that CCTV showed her going under at another location.

He found Kyra near the third area at around 5.09pm. He said that as far as he was aware no-one had looked at the CCTV by the time he arrived at the park.

On Friday, Rachel Marcus, representing the Hill family, asked the coroner to consider possible gross negligence manslaughter by Liquid Leisure owner and director Stuart Marston, as well as corporate manslaughter ahead of her conclusion.

Angus Withington KC, representing Liquid Leisure, said in his submissions that the company was "a separate and distinct legal entity" to Mr Marston, adding that the firm was "responsible for all of the activities".

The inquest heard there were no signs warning of deep water at the leisure park. The lake where Kyra was seen going under was 2.68m (8.8ft) deep, a report carried out after the incident found.