A THURROCK leisure centre has been accused of taking political correctness too far for offering large discounts to ethnic minorities to take part on a lifeguarding course.

A borough mum, who asked to remain anonymous, spotted the advert for the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification course, on a noticeboard at Blackshots Leisure Centre, in Blackshots Lane, Grays.

She had planned to send her daughter, who is white, on the course, but changed her mind because she could not understand why she should pay more than someone from another ethinic group.

Mike Baden, chief executive of Impulse Leisure – which runs the leisure centre – admitted his firm was offering 60 per cent off the course fee to people from ethnic minorities backgrounds because it is “committed to equal opportunities”.

But Tim Coombs, from Sun Lane, a south Essex firm specialising in legal claims, said: “What they did there could be considered illegal.

“Discounts should only be offered to people on financial grounds, if it’s reasonable to assume they can’t afford it.

“This could therefore apply to pensioners, children and the people on benefits, but not on the basis or race, as this has nothing to do with income.

“White people who read that advert could have made a claim for racial discrimination.”

The same discount was offered to anyone claiming jobseeker’s allowance or on income support.

The leisure centre has now taken down the notice, as the course, which started in July, has finished.

Mr Baden said: “Impulse Leisure is committed to equal opportunities. However, people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds continue to be underrepresented in our organisation.

“We have identified we have a lack of employment applications from black and minority ethnic groups, possibly because we have basic entry level requirements for job roles, such as the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification.

“As a way of potentially boosting applications from black and minority ethnic groups, we have a policy of providing discounted rates to encourage the attainment of this qualification within these groups.”