A leisure centre where a schoolboy drowned is chan-ging its safety procedures thanks to the efforts of a campaigning mother.

Seven-year-old Moussa Dembele was found at the bottom of Mitchams Canons Leisure Centre swimming pool on April 25 and died three days later at St Georges Hospital, Tooting.

Mandy Carey believes her three-year-old daughter Emma could have suffered a similar fate when she attended a swimming class two weeks ago and was able to wander un-supervised towards the main pool.

Mrs Carey said she screamed at staff, whom she accused of turning their back on the tot at the end of her fourth lesson.

She claimed Canons had not learned any lessons from the recent tragic death and ini-tially threatened legal action.

I had reservations about taking Emma to her classes after the boy died, but I convinced myself I had been over-protective, said Mrs Carey, of Rialto Road, Mitcham.

I was distraught it nearly cost her her life. I wasnt able to sleep because I kept having nightmares in which Emma fell in and I wasnt able to help her.

Luckily she froze when she got near the edge, but it was only that which saved her. I just felt this was so, so close.

Mrs Carey attended talks with centre contracts manager Stephen Ward last Saturday.

Mr Ward has now imple-mented safety changes and wants Mrs Carey to talk to new staff during their training to press home the message that vigilance saves lives.

In future, when children get out of the pool and walk through to the changing rooms they will hold hands to prevent them being split up and be followed by a member of staff.

Health and safety and accident books are also to be introduced at the Canons.

I think once he realised I wasnt interested in getting money out of Canons he was more relaxed and asked me for my help, said Mrs Carey.

I hope no mother ever goes through this.

Its a matter of safety and staff knowing how to deal with things.

Ive been asked if I will go in and talk to the staff and thats something Im prepared to do. Emma will be coming with me.

I think its been a really positive outcome.

It just seems like a complete turnabout, so it was worth screaming and shouting. It shows one person can make a difference.

Mrs Carey claimed that although Mr Ward initially disputed the amount of danger Emma had been in, he was now looking forward to collaborating with Mrs Carey.

Andy McCabe head of operations at Greenwich Leisure, which manages Mertons leisure centres said: We are always trying to review our safety procedures, especially in the light of the tragic death that occurred.

What happened to Emma was not ideal, but I believe she was never in any danger.

We specifically reminded our staff of our safety procedures. There is an incident book and a very clear method in which an early or late supervisor will detail in a report any incidents or accidents that may have taken place.

This just needed bringing to Mrs Careys attention.