A cafe owner has been condemned for allegedly refusing to let a girl use his phone to call lifeguards when her pal was in danger of drowning.

It is the second time John Harvey has been at the centre of a row over his business's phone. Three years ago he had an altercation with police after being accused of turning down a request for help.

Furious mum Susan Curtis said that in the latest incident, her 13-year-old daughter, Leigh, had been swimming off Canvey when one of her friends got into difficulty in the fast-moving water.

Leigh and a friend ran to the Concorde Cafe, which adjoins the Canvey Lifeguard station, to call for help. The lifeguard station was unmanned at the time.

She said Mr Harvey refused to let them used the phone and told them to call from the Windjammer pub, 100 yards away, or the Monico pub, around 300 yards away.

Susan, 36, said: "The children called the coastguard and ran back. Luckily, by the time the lifeboat arrived, their friends had been able to get the young boy to the shore.

"Leigh was a bit miffed, but I was really furious. The coastguard said this had happened before.

"Thankfully it all worked out for the best, but if the boy had really got into trouble he would have probably drowned by the time the coastguard arrived because of the delay. This man probably has children himself. How could he behave like this?"

Three years ago, Mr Harvey was involved in a row with police after he was accused of refusing to allow a member of the public to phone the emergency services from his cafe.

As a result of the dispute, he was arrested for public order offences and assaulting the police, but was later cleared of any wrongdoing. He is now suing Essex Police.

Mr Harvey, speaking at his home in Eastern Esplanade, said: "I don't allow people to use the phone inside the cafe because I am trying to run a business.

"There is cash and all sorts around and when I am busy I can't keep my eye on everyone.

"This is not a public phone and I tell them there is one over the road in the pub a few yards away. If someone collapsed with a heart attack in front of the cafe I would call 999.

"I try and do what I can for the community - I own this building and let the lifegaurds use it free of charge.

"In 13 years there have been one or two incidents when people have asked to use the phone, but the first time they stayed on it for half an hour."

A spokesman for the coastguard confirmed they had been called to a swimmer in difficulty on July 13, and that the swimmer had been rescued before they arrived, but could give no further details.

Chief Insp Dave King of Rayleigh police, said: "The children did the right thing by trying to alert the emergency services as quickly as possible.

"It is a shame that adults in a position of responsibility could not show the same sense of public duty.

"We have had a number of tragic incidents across the country involving children who have drowned in lakes and paddling pools - this could have been another one."

He added that that Mr Harvey "had an opportunity to prevent it but he chose not to take that opportunity. Thankfully the situation turned out OK.

"The 999 service is a free facility and it does not take long to make an emergency call. If someone is drowning that is clearly high priority and the emergency services must be advised immediately."

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