SIGNIFICANT changes have been made at a holiday park after a boy tragically drowned in a swimming pool, a court heard.

Luca Hurle died after he got into difficulty while swimming at a caravan park near Grange owned by Holker Estates.

He was four.

The company was fined £127,500 by Preston Crown Court over health and safety breaches following the incident.

The court was told how the company had made changes at its Old Park Wood caravan park, where the incident happened in August 2016.

Following his death questions were raised over the safety of the pool.    

On the day Luca drowned an alarm by the pool could only be heard in a small area and CCTV cameras in the site's office were not in use. 

The court was told there was a steep gradient where the shallow end of the pool passed into the deep end which could have posed a risk of dragging non-swimmers into the deep water by accident.

Signage by the pool was said to have told swimmers the gradient was half as steep as it really was. 

It has now been reduced to a 'wading pool' with a flat depth of one metre.

The court heard after the incident South Lakeland District Council carried out investigations and served the company with an improvement notice. 

Mitigating for Holker, barrister Dominic Kay said Holker Estates and its chief executive Allen Gibb were showing 'deep remorse' and offered condolences to Luca's family. 

Mr Gibb, who sat in court, was said to have written a letter to the judge which he hoped would be given to Luca’s family.

Mr Kay said the company 'accepts' it 'failed' to ensure the safety of users of the holiday park.

Luca was described by his parents as 'an energetic, loving and kind boy whose smile and laughter was contagious'.

Dad Gavin Hurle said: "We remember him every day and see him in our dreams.

"But we are left with a gaping hole in our heart that is and will continue to be impossible to fill."