Girl found at bottom of pool waking from coma

A YOUNG Scottish girl who is fighting for her life after being found at the bottom of a swimming pool while on holiday in Spain is waking from her coma, her parents have revealed.

Steven Simpson kisses his daughter Cally Simpson as the four year old lies unconscious in a Spanish hospital. Picture: SWNS

Cally Simpson, four, was discovered unconscious lying at the bottom of a hotel pool while on holiday with her father in Salou, Spain.

The youngster from Arbroath, Angus, who has been in an induced coma since the tragic accident on Monday, is now beginning to show signs of waking up.

Cally’s father, Steven Simpson, 25, has held a vigil by her bedside for a week, while her mother, Kate Miller, 30, flew out from Scotland to be by her side on Thursday.

On a Facebook page set up to update family and friends on her progress, her parents yesterday revealed their little girl was starting to show signs of emerging from her coma.

They also said doctors in the Barcelona hospital where she is being treated have told them the youngster’s heart was beginning to get stronger.

In a message posted yesterday, they said: “Just spoke to Cally’s nurse. She looks like she is waking up people. There is a God up there. I knew my baby was strong. Mummy is with her now xxxxxxxxx.”

An earlier post said: “Update on Cally B. Cardiologist been round this morning. Cally’s heart stronger again so some good news.”

Last night family and friends took to Facebook to respond to the good news.

The youngster’s auntie, Sharon Mckay, said: “Fantastic. Come on Cally. You can do it princess. Keep fighting strong. Auntie Shar sends all her love and hugs baby.”

And Darcy Dewar wrote: “I had big tears dropping from my very happy eyes. Waken up slowly little one. Your little body needs time to heal properly. Big, big love to mummy and daddy. Hold tight. Gentle hugs.”

Cally had been on holiday with her father and nine other family members in Salou when another holidaymaker spotted her unconscious in the swimming pool at the Villa Marina Hotel.

After being pulled from the water, Cally stopped breathing for 20 minutes before being brought back to life by the hotel receptionist and a doctor at the scene.

She was then rushed to a hospital in nearby Tarragona by ambulance before being airlifted to the Hospital Sant Joan de Deu in Barcelona.

Her mother has now visited the hotel to speak to witnesses about the accident.

She said: “The lifeguard came over and tried to resuscitate her but he was apparently doing it all wrong. There was a doctor there on holiday who pushed him out the way. It was him and the receptionist Lisa who saved her.

“Lisa was taking the water and sickness out of Cally’s mouth, spitting it out and going back to do the same again and again. She cleared her lungs as much as she could.”

Ms Miller added: “I know she can hear me, I’m her mum. I would know if she was gone.

“We last spoke when she left to head for Glasgow airport. At first she said, ‘I don’t want to go mummy, I’ll miss you’, but I told her it would be fine because she was off to see the dolphins.”

On Friday, heartbreaking pictures of the youngster lying in her hospital bed attached to life support machines were published online by her parents.