A GRANDMOTHER has told how she fought in vain to save the life of a three-year-old girl pulled from a hotel swimming pool.

Carole Greenwood rescued the youngster, named locally as Jane Bell from Galashiels, from the bottom of the seven-foot deep pool and managed to get her breathing - but hospital doctors could not save her life.

Police are describing the death as "unexplained" after officers were called shortly before 11am on Thursday following the report of a child drowning at the Dalmeny Hotel on South Promenade in St Lytham Annes, Lancashire.

A 40-year-old woman, understood to be Jane's mother Sarah, remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder and child neglect.

She and her husband David, 40, have an older daughter Emma, five, and are thought to have been on holiday when the tragedy occurred.

Mrs Greenwood, from Lytham St Annes, is a member of the leisure club at the hotel and was getting ready to take her grandson Riley, aged two, swimming in the pool when the incident began.

She said: "I was in the changing rooms and a lady came in and said 'There's an incident in the pool, is there a life guard?' The child was on the bottom of the pool, so I dived in and got her out."

Mrs Greenwood, a former pool attendant, life guard and swimming teacher, added: "I wasn't really aware of what had happened when I got there, my concern was with the little girl and rescuing her and resuscitating her as best I could.

"She was on the bottom, she was unresponsive and I pulled her out as per my training and then I resuscitated her on the side.

"I did manage to resuscitate her and she was breathing when the ambulance arrived.

"Obviously I'm devastated for the poor little girl, it's very sad."

Mrs Greenwood said the ­incident was a tragic warning about the dangers of children in water.

The girl was initially taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital and later to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in a critical condition but pronounced dead at 7.55pm on Thursday night.

A post mortem examination will take place.

Neighbours of the family in Galashiels spoke of their shock .

Detective Chief Inspector Dean Holden from Lancashire Police, said: "We are treating this tragic incident as an unexplained death and are continuing to investigate just how the child has come into difficulties in the pool.

"Our thoughts remain with the child's family at this sad time."

Guests at the hotel spoke of their shock.

Simon Barr, on holiday with his wife Linzi and their two children, said: "It's tragic for somebody to come on holiday and all of a sudden this to happen."