A pensioner was taken to hospital yesterday after he reportedly had a heart attack at a north-east swimming pool.
Scores of children were enjoying the last week of the summer holidays at Stonehaven Open Air Pool when the man, in his 70s, fell ill shortly before 1.15pm.
Emergency services were called and an ambulance and paramedic response unit were dispatched to the scene.
Two wildcat responders from the Sandpiper Trust charity also assisted, and the man was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. His condition was unknown last night.
Everyone in the facility was asked to leave and the pool was shut for the rest of the day.
Jill Robertson was visiting the pool for the day with her son and daughter, and had only been inside for 10 minutes when the drama unfolded. She praised the lifeguards for their quick response after the man was apparently dragged out of the water and quickly treated.
Mrs Robertson added: “My son saw him being pulled out of the water.
“The first I knew about it was when one of the young lifeguards said ‘everyone leave the pool’.
“I looked across and two young lifeguards were punching his chest and putting a tube into his mouth.
“He was in trunks and stuff, I think he had been swimming.
“We were told to stand in the changing room. Eventually an ambulance came and the paramedics were working on him for a while, and they took him away.”
It is understood the man had been visiting the pool with family.
People were offered vouchers for return visits to the facility.
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We received a call at 1.13pm today to attend an incident at Stonehaven Open Air Swimming Pool.
“We dispatched two wildcat responders, a paramedic response unit and an ambulance to the scene.
“One male patient in his 70s was taken to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.”
It was not clear whether the pool will reopen today.