The mother of a ten-year-old boy, who endured an attempted sexual assault at Colchester Leisure World, today called for more to be done to protect children.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said her child was still afraid to go to the centre following the incident.

He was followed around the changing area by a naked man who told the young boy he wanted to rub cream on him.

After the man touched him, the boy managed to get away.

She said she was distressed that other incidents, revealed by the Evening Gazette this week, have taken place after her son's ordeal, in February, including a separate incident involving a man who stuck a camera under a cubicle in which two girls were getting changed.

She said: "They need to do something and they need to do it quick."

Mr Nicholson, head of leisure services at Colchester Council, which runs Leisure World, said security was taken very seriously by staff but warned there were complex issues involved and no easy solutions.

He said fire doors could not be locked; improvements had been made to alarm the doors and other security measures had been taken.

Published Thursday August 15, 2002

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