Waterpark shuts after ‘mystery illness’ leaves swimmers, including children, vomiting

A popular waterpark is being investigated after around 20 people, including children, fell sick with a mysterious illness.

Whitemills Wake Water and Aqua Park in Sandwich, Kent, closed on Sunday after visitors complained that after leaving the lakeside attraction, they or their children began vomiting.

Park director Wayne Cooper said the site would remain closed until the results of new water samples came back.

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He said: “This is all a mystery to us. We don’t know what has caused it. We had water samples two weeks ago and they were clear.

“There were symptoms such as vomiting, but these were out of about 2,000 visitors to the centre over that week.

“But we are on an open-water lake, not a chlorinated swimming pool. I don’t know what’s behind this.”

Alarm was raised after some people were left experiencing nausea, high temperatures and continously vomiting.

One Facebook user said: “Few friends went Tuesday and been really poorly like two sets of friends.”

Whilst Sharon Robinson said on the social media site: “Please be careful if you have used the new Sandwich Aqua park this week.

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“Two families are poorly today (including us) that used the lake on Tuesday. Symptoms including temperature and vomiting. The council have been informed.”

Amanda Dwayne said: “Please don’t use the new aqua wake park just yet until they get the all clear for the safety of the water in the lake.

“All people in our party – three separate families – have also been very sick within 48 hours of using the lake on Tuesday of this week and not including the people below who also used the park on the same day.”

The company says it is working closely with Dover District Council and public protection officials to discover the cause of the problem.

Anyone who booked to visit the water park will instead be provided with a voucher to use another time.

A Dover District Council spokesman said: “We are working with the UK Health Security Agency and the Whitemills Wake and Aqua Park to look into concerns in this matter.

“DDC takes all complaints seriously and is carrying out a full and thorough investigation.”

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