A mum was left red-faced after splashing out on a B&M paddling pool with a slide for her daughters - only to realise it was 'doll-sized'. Louise Smart popped to the branch of the budget retailer and spotted the Staycation Paddling Pool With Slide on sale for £15.
The mum-of-two decided to treat Isla Smart, four, and 10-year-old Amelia Smart to the paddling pool so they could play in it while the weather was warm. But the tanning studio manager's jaw dropped when she brought the pool home, took it out of the packaging and realised just how small it was - having not checked the dimensions.
An hilarious photo shows a clearly-tickled Isla sitting in the pool with her head resting on the slide and her legs hanging out over the side. Despite being disappointed and embarrassed about her paddling pool blunder, the 33-year-old said although Isla did comment 'it's a bit small' she's thrilled with it and now plays hook-a-duck in it.
Louise said: "I decided to treat them to the paddling pool because of the warm weather. I came home and I said to Isla that Mummy had bought her a new paddling pool, she was really excited.
"Then when we got it out and we blew it up she just looked at me and said 'it's a bit small Mum'. "I knew it wasn't going to be massive for £15 but I wasn't expecting what came out - it was so small.
"I was disappointed and embarrassed that I hadn't realised it was so small. I was ready to take it back but she begged me to keep it so it's still here.
"It's more doll-sized, we've actually put little plastic ducks in it at the minute for hook-a-duck."
Louise visited the store at 12pm and considered picking up an £8 paddling pool, but plumped for the £15 offering as it had a slide. It was only when she'd unfolded it and blown it up at home that Louise noticed the dimensions on the box that stated it measured 114cm x 86cm x 36cm.
Louise said: "I'd popped into B&M on my own and got it as a surprise [for the girls]. I picked up an £8 one that didn't have a slide. I remember thinking 'I'll go for the £15 one because it has a slide'. I didn't even look at the dimensions.
"It came in a box that was relatively small thinking about it. We took some pictures in the living room of Isla after we blew it up.
"She asked if we could put water in it in the garden and she played hook-a-duck with it for a little while. She wasn't disappointed, she said she loved it.
"I thought she'd be really disappointed but she just said she loved it and that it was a bit small but she was happy. She's quite a grateful little four-year-old."
To avoid the same mistake in future, Louise said she'll definitely double-check measurements before picking up other bargains. Lousie said: "My advice would be to Google the dimensions, that's what I probably should have done in hindsight.
"I will definitely be getting a bigger paddling pool."
Louise shared her paddling pool blunder online, where it went viral racking up more than 4,500 likes, shares and comments. One person wrote: "OMG, the size of the slide!! It makes a very comfy looking seat though!"
Another commented: "I did the same lol x glad I’m not the only one."
One wrote: "We’ve all done it."
A B&M spokesman said: "Our paddling pools are always a hit with the little ones throughout the summer months, and we love seeing kids enjoying splashing around in them.
"We additionally enjoyed Isla’s full re-enactment of Roald Dahl’s The BFG sliding in her staycation splash pool.
"Her performance gets a standing ovation from us for the accuracy and execution of the plot."
