'My heart goes out to them all' (From Penarth Times)

'My heart goes out to them all'

THE mother of a 13-year-old girl who died after being pulled unconscious from a pool at her Penarth school has paid tribute to the staff and pupils there.

Hayley Williams, aged 13, who attended Ashgrove Special School for autistic children on Sully Road, died on Monday.

Her mother Gaynor, who lives in Newport, thanked the carers and school staff who fought in vain to save her.

She said: "I know they are all devastated and I would like to thank them for everything they did to try and save her.

"My heart goes out to the other children who were in the pool at the time."

It is believed Hayley suffered an epileptic seizure during a one-to-one session in the hydrotherapy pool.

She was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, but doctors were unable to revive her. Her family decided to switch off the life support machine.

Mrs Williams said the whole family - including Hayley's father Alan and 14-year-old sister Rachel - are devastated by the death of their "happy girl".

"We will always miss her and love her," she added.

Hayley swam for the Newport Seals and her mother said the pool was one of the reasons they had chosen to send her to Ashgrove.

"She lived for swimming," Mrs Williams said. "She won a gold medal recently."

Hayley was in her third year at the school and her mother said she had come on a huge amount since starting there.

Hayley's autism meant although she had a good vocabulary she found it hard to understand people. But Mrs Williams said it did not stop her enjoying life.