THE mother of a girl who drowned in a hotel swimming pool last Thursday has returned home to Galashiels.

Sarah Bell was arrested in the hours after her three-year-old child, Jane, was pulled from the bottom of Dalmeny Hotel pool in Lytham St Annes, near Blackpool.

Lancashire Police stated the 40-year-old was being held on suspicion of murder and child neglect.

But the former supermarket cleaner was released on bail the following day and returned to the family home on Tweed Road with her husband, David, and their other daughter.

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.” It is understood that the Bell family were staying at the Dalmeny Hotel for a week’s holiday.

Jane was pulled from the bottom of the pool by a visiting member of the hotel’s leisure centre at around 11am last Thursday. She was initially rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital and then later transported to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital in a critical condition, but pronounced dead at 7.55pm.

Guests at the seafront hotel described the tragic incident. Deputy head-teacher Simon Barr, who was on holiday with his wife and children, said: “I think it’s totally tragic for somebody to come on holiday, we have a three-year-old child as well, to come away on holiday and all of a sudden this to happen.

“We heard a girl had been taken away by ambulance then from that moment lots of police arrived. It was only later on we heard on the news the girl had died.

“The atmosphere is pretty subdued really. The only conversation going on is what’s happened.” Investigating officers interviewed staff and guests at the hotel as well as reviewing CCTV footage.

Another guest said: “My daughter saw the little girl being carried out to the ambulance. I saw the woman arrested going with the police. She wasn’t cuffed. She looked just in shock.

“The pool was closed. Police arrived and started taking statements from anyone who was there.” A Home Office post mortem has taken place to confirm the exact cause of death with the results expected this week. And an inquest will take place to establish blame.

The Bell family declined, through liaison officers, to make any statement or release a photograph of Jane. Mrs Bell will remain on bail until November 15.