Centre received warnings months before teenagers died, court told Canoe tragedy 'was waiting to happen'

Nine months before the tragedy in Lyme Bay, Dorset, the operators of

the centre received a letter from two experienced instructors warning of

safety shortcomings, it was disclosed.

The letter warned: ''We think you should have a very careful look at

your standards of safety -- otherwise you may find yourselves trying to

explain why someone's son or daughter will not be coming home.''

The letter was sent by Pamela Cawthorne and Richard Retallick to the

managing director of the firm running the centre.

Mr Neil Butterfield, prosecuting, told Winchester Crown Court that the

tragedy involving the teenagers in March last year was not an isolated

or exceptional circumstance, but ''a disaster waiting to happen''.

Before the court are Peter Kite, 44, from London, managing director of

Active and Learning Leisure Ltd, which then ran the centre; Joseph

Stoddart, 53, of West Lulworth, Dorset, the centre's manager; and OLL

Ltd, formerly Active Learning Leisure, of Aldwych House, London.

All three deny four charges of the manslaughter of the sixth-formers

from Southway school, Plymouth, who drowned on March 22, 1993.

The charges allege that the deaths of Dean Sayer, 17, and Simon Dunne,

Claire Langley, and Rachel Walker, all 16, were caused by gross

negligence.

The instructors wrote their letter to Mr Kite after working for five

weeks at the centre, which they left partly because of their serious

concern about safety standards, the court was told.

They said there was ''most definitely not one person here on this site

technically qualified to instruct''. Because of a shortage of staff,

young people were ''literally thrown in the deep end'', they added.

In his reply, Mr Kite said the ''vast majority'' of their points had

been sorted out.

Mr Butterfield told the jury: ''Sadly, Kite had paid no proper

attention to the complaints made.''

He said that the trip by eight teenagers, their teacher and two centre

instructors, Karen Gardner and Tony Mann, was intended to be a two-hour

paddle along the coast from Lyme Regis to Charmouth and back. However,

the two instructors in no way had been qualified or competent to lead or

instruct the sort of activity contemplated by the students that day.

''They were barely sufficiently competent to undertake the journey

themselves, let alone lead and instruct others,'' Mr Butterfield said.

The teenagers were wearing wet suits and buoyancy aids, but gloves,

headwear and footwear were not provided. The instructors had no flares,

and the trip was not notified to the coastguard or local harbourmaster,

he said.

Soon after they set out, Simon Dunne capsized and was helped aboard.

However, it was not long before the first signs of ''serious trouble''

became apparent, Mr Butterfield said.

As teacher Norman Pointer repeatedly capsized, the others linked their

canoes into a raft -- but one by one they capsized until all the

teenagers and Miss Gardner were in the water.

Each did their best to support and encourage their friends, singing

together and trying to laugh and joke.

''The great courage and bravery each one of them showed is a lasting

testament to every one of them,'' Mr Butterfield said.

He also paid tribute to Miss Gardner, saying she had done all she

could to help the eight students.

The group was picked up by helicopter, but it was too late for four of

the teenagers, who had been in the cold and increasingly rough sea for

three hours, possibly longer.

Mr Butterfield told the jury of a two-and-a-half hour delay before Mr

Stoddart alerted the coastguards.

He was first alerted by a centre employee who reported the party had

not returned from the trip. Mr Stoddart then made land and sea searches

for them.

With the group three hours overdue, and at the suggestion of the Lyme

Regis harbour master, Mr Stoddart ''at last'' contacted the coastguard,

Mr Butterfield said.

However, he told them the group had two competent instructors, a first

aid kit and flares.

The jury might have to ask themselves why Mr Stoddart gave such

misleading and inaccurate information to the coastguards, and why he

delayed so long before seeking help, he added.

The trial continues.