A 61-YEAR-OLD woman who lost consciousness in the water at a fitness club’s swimming pool died of natural causes.

Valerie Eagling, a mother from Haydock, was taken ill at the DW Fitness Centre at Ravenhead Retail Park on Milverny Way, St Helens.

Paramedics were called and attempts were made to revive her, however, her death was confirmed at Whiston Hospital.

News that Mrs Eagling had passed away on Wednesday, February 26, provoked sadness among Star readers, many of whom turned to social media to offer condolences to her relatives.

A post-mortem this week confirmed she had died of natural causes, a spokeswoman for the St Helens and Knowsley coroner’s office said.

A spokeswoman for DW Fitness offered their sympathy to her family, adding: “Our thoughts are with the family at this stage.

“Our health and safety department are now supporting the staff and an internal investigation is under way. It is very sad.”

She stressed that as a company they carry out stringent safety checks and that there was “nothing to suggest staff could have done more”.

She said that the woman was de-fibrillated at the scene but this proved unsuccessful.

The spokeswoman went on to say that DW Sports Centres have defibrillators at each site.

Neither the Health and Safety Executive nor the council will be investigating the matter.