A WORCESTER mum with a brain tumour has said she is "devastated" she won't get to take her three-year-old son swimming after the collapse of a swim school for children.
Rhiann Hunter, aged 27, says she is furious after the collapse of the Nemo Swim School, which has left parents hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
The firm's owner has told us it will be going into administration and there will be no refunds.
Parents were told in a WhatsApp message over the weekend about the school's collapse just days before the new term was set to get underway.
Miss Hunter said: "It is not just the money lost for me.
"I have a brain tumour and I don't know how long I have left.
"The school was the only place I could get to that was offering under fours swimming.
"All I wanted to see was my son, Donnacha, go fishing with his dad.
"I wanted to get him a skill he can use for the rest of his life.
"I was devastated when I heard.
"It has broken my heart."
Miss Hunter said her son may have autism and receives a disability allowance with £65 of that used to pay upfront, in June, for him to have weekly lessons on a Thursday.
"We are not getting a refund - people are struggling as it is," she said.
"It is frustrating."
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The swim school hired the pool at New College in Whittington Road, Worcester.
However, the college said Nemo did not pay to hire the pool either for the previous term or the forthcoming term.
However, Nemo boss Scott Alan McKenzie disputes this and said he had paid up until July and is looking to see if other swim schools would take on the pupils for free.
A spokesman for New College said: "We would like to confirm that New College Worcester hired out the college swimming pool to Nemo Swim school but beyond that has no other involvement with the company.
"New College has also not been paid by Nemo for hire, either for the previous term's hire or for the forthcoming term.
"We are sympathetic to the situation that the parents find themselves in."
Mr McKenzie said today: "I am still currently in several conversations with other swim schools to see if there's any feasible possibility of them taking on our ex-members for free.
"If this is a possibility we will contact all members directly. No family details will be passed to any third party.
"Regarding New College, all fees were paid up to date apart from July's invoice.
"I understand that there will be questions from our ex-members and the general public.
"I would once again like to reiterate how sorry I am to lose this business and to cause any upset.
"Based on a further meeting with an insolvency practitioner today (Monday) the only alternative I have is to become bankrupt.
"The appointed liquidator will be in contact with all debtors."
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