Police were called to a swimming pool following reports a group of men were taking pictures of a child.

The alarm was raised yesterday evening by a mother who claimed three men were talking about and gesturing towards her four-year-old daughter in the indoor pool in Faversham.

After then becoming concerned that they had started taking photographs, she alerted the duty lifeguard and management, who called the police and stopped the men from leaving.

Officers arrived at about 7pm and seized the men's mobile phones, but found no incriminating photos on them.

A police spokesman said: "Kent Police was called at 7pm on August 3 to a report that three men were believed to have taken photos of a child at a swimming pool in Leslie Smith Drive, Faversham.

"Officers attended the incident and carried out inquiries and no offences were found to have been committed. No arrests were made."

Manager of Faversham Pools, Roger Lake, said staff acted in accordance with safeguarding policies.

"We take issues concerning the safeguarding of children very seriously," he said.

"It happened at the end of the public session, but we delayed the start of the swimming club's evening session while the police investigated the incident.

"They took the men's phones and checked them over, but there was no proof of wrongdoing on them."

Mr Lake has passed CCTV footage to the police for their records.

He said it was an isolated incident, adding: "I don't think it will put people off coming here in the future."