THE owner of a holiday park where the son of a former Llanwern steelworker died has been fined £19,000.

Three-year-old Nicholas Christopher died in a swimming-pool at the Fishguard Holiday Park a year ago.

His parents, Terry and Mandy, lived in Newport before moving to Tonypandy, in the Rhondda.

Nicholas wandered away from his parents on the first day of a Whitsun holiday in Pembrokeshire.

Park owner Charles Howells, of Howells Leisure, yesterday appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates.

He admitted failing to adequately control access to the pool and failing to carry out a proper risk assessment.

The Christophers have started their own legal action against the park. The pool had a gate, but it was not locked until 8.30pm. It was surrounded by a waist-high wall.

It is not known whether Nicholas got through the gate or climbed over the wall.

Pembrokeshire council, which brought the prosecution, had asked for a risk assessment five years ago.

The court was told new safety procedures were now in place. The company was fined £15,000 for having inadequate access controls and £4,000 for failing to provide a risk assessment. It was also ordered to pay £3,533 costs.