Public Baths
Evening Shift Log 18 February 1986
19.10 — Lifeguard (T. Evans) reports repeated activation of deep-end pressure alarm. No swimmer present in deep section at time.
Alarm reset manually. Checked pool surface and below line of sight. No obstruction visible. Filter intake clear.
19.18 — Alarm activated again. Two swimmers in shallow end only. Deep lane rope secured. No wave action beyond normal.
19.21 — Evans reports water movement in deep section inconsistent with activity in shallow end. Surface disturbance minimal. Unable to identify source.
Supervisor attended 19.25. Tested pressure plate by entering deep end. Alarm functioned as expected when weight applied.
After exit, alarm triggered once more at approx. 19.31 with no swimmer in deep area.
Evans confirmed he had clear line of sight from chair. No swimmer entered deep section.
19.33 — Alarm triggered again while staff were standing poolside.
No disturbance visible on surface.
System isolated for ten minutes. No further trigger during isolation.
Reactivated 19.45. Alarm triggered once immediately after system restart. Plate registered weight for approximately four seconds before clearing.
No swimmer present.
Pool checked again from deck and underwater lighting panel. Visibility normal.
No obstruction.
No debris.
No swimmer.
No further activations for remainder of shift.
Engineer called following morning. No fault found in mechanism.
Plate sensitivity left unchanged.
Pool remained open.
Evans later stated he believed he saw the deep water “dip slightly,” as though someone had stepped down into it.
He withdrew the statement shortly after.
— M. Clarke