A pool turned swimmers away after a child was "caught short" with an attack of diarrhoea - but a leisure centre user claimed it should have been shut down for longer.

The pool at Tenterden Leisure Centre closed following the incident in which a child was said to have suffered "severe diarrhoea".

Swimmers had to leave the pool at 5.30pm on Friday night and it was re-opened at 8am on Saturday morning.

But a customer, who did not wish to be named, contacted our sister paper the Kentish Express alleging that the pool was not closed for long enough on health grounds, something the leisure centre denies. "The procedure should be to close the pool for 24 hours and clean all three filters however the decision [was made] to clean three filters and then reopen the pool," he claimed.

The pool was shut again today, although the centre said this was due to an issue with plant machinery, with the closure allowing it an added opportunity to conduct further safety checks.

Victoria Crosbie-Cowley, contract manager at Tenterden Leisure Centre Trust said: “Due to a child being caught short while swimming on Friday (5.30pm), we immediately closed our pool to clean and test the water, ready to re-open at the earliest possible point.

"All water tests came back at the desired levels, and all health and safety procedures were followed, allowing us to re-open the pool on Saturday morning at the usual time.

"Since Friday, we have had no reports of illness or any reason for concern.

"Today, while unrelated technical issues were being sorted, we had the opportunity to be over-cautious and carry out further, more stringent water tests and processes.

"This was as a precaution only, and as expected these tests have all come back clean. We will be opening the pool again at 12pm on Wednesday (30).”