Mother beats pool lifeguard to struggling daughter

An Invercargill mother who beat a lifeguard when she dived into a swimming pool to save her daughter may be offered a job at the pool.

Melissa Aitken was at Splash Palace when her daughter Sequoia, six, was knocked over by a wave at the leisure pool on Saturday and could not get up.

Sequoia's sisters, eight and 10, could not keep her above the water. "She had her arm up and was screaming and going under," Mrs Aitken told the Southland Times.

A male lifeguard threw Sequoia a life ring but she did not know what to do and Mrs Aitken dived into the pool to save her daughter

Mrs Aitken said she was at first angry the lifeguard had not reacted more quickly but the Invercargill City Council's aquatic services manager Crosbie Grieve said the lifeguard and Ms Aitken had both done the right things.

He said the lifeguard was responsible for an area of the pool and he could not jump in to save the girl until he knew everyone else in the water was safe.

He said Mrs Aitken beat the lifeguard to her daughter.

"I am thinking of offering the lady a job. She's obviously pretty good," he said.

Mrs Aitken said the lifeguard was not fast enough and when children got into trouble there should not be any delay.

- NZPA