A SCHOOLGIRL had a lucky escape when her leg was trapped in a swimming pool grate.

Mia Ostler had to be cut free by firefighters after the accident, during a swimming lesson at Sir Charles Lucas Centre for Sport and Art, in Hawthorn Avenue, Greenstead, Colchester.

Mia, seven, was standing at the poolside when her right leg slipped off the edge and got caught behind bars on the swimming pool’s side wall.

She was cut free by firefighters within half an hour and escaped with two bruises on her leg.

Her mum, Caite Ostler, 40, of Halstead Road, Stanway, was teaching a swimming class at the pool at the time.

She said: “I was just taking the register for the next class when she fell in behind me.

“I tried to pull the bar off but it wouldn’t come. I was calm at the time because Mia was crying and she was quite frightened. It wasn’t until afterwards it affected me.”

Lawrence Walker, duty manager at the sports centre, said he thought Mia, a Stanway Primary School pupil, had a lucky escape.

He said: “It was quite lucky she fell the way she did, otherwise she could have broken her leg.

“We are just very relieved she didn’t hurt herself.”