MANAGERS at Hinksey pool have defended a controversial system of allowing children in the pool for 15 minutes at a time.

Parents criticised the arrangement put in place this weekend as the hot weather made it one of the busiest of the year.

Swimmers were put into different coloured bands and only allowed in the pool when their colour was called; some said children were allowed to swim for just 15 minutes every hour despite paying full price.

However Fusion Lifestyle’s marketing manager Steve Lee has defended the system and praised staff for their work over the busy weekend.

He said: “We had a large number of visitors over the weekend and our team did a great job in making sure everyone who wanted to visit the Hinksey Outdoor Pool could do so and get a chance to swim in the amazing heated pool.

“Health and safety considerations limit the number of people who can use the pool at any one time.

“As the outdoor pool complex has a large sunbathing area and cafe area, capacity for the site itself is much larger than the amount of people that can swim at any time so a system of rotation must be used.”

Mr Lee added that there was no queuing required for the pool’s ‘banding system’ and that swimmers could enter the pool once their band colour was displayed and announced.

This weekend is expected to be just as busy with temperatures once again set to soar.

The Met Office has forecast highs of 26C on Saturday and 27C on Sunday.

Mike Belcher, a lifeguard and swimming teacher of more than 30 years, defended Fusion's policy.

He said: “Banding systems are used all over the world: if you go to a water park in Tenerife it’s always used.

“There’s no other way – you can’t allow everyone in the pool, it becomes very difficult for the lifeguards as the water gets splashed around."

However, he added: “People should be advised while they are queuing that the system is in place.”

Yesterday, parents continued to air their frustrations on the Oxford Mail's story.

Kelly Denham wrote: “This happened when we went and we will not be going back again we had no idea until we got there that they were doing this and we had already paid.

“Trying to explain to my daughter that has autism and ADHD that she could only go in for 15 minutes then had to wait 45 minutes to go in again was a nightmare.”

Luke Clapham said: “What a stupid idea, they’re happy to take people’s money at the gate but you’re only allowed in the pool for 25 per cent of the time.”