The registered manager of a care home has admitted three health and social care charges after two wheelchair bound residents drowned in Roadford Lake during a day trip.

Father of four Alex Wood, 43, and 63-year-old Alison Tilsley died when they were dragged down into the water at Roadford Lake by the weight of their electric wheelchairs when a small leaking 'wheelyboat' capsized.

A third resident, Kate Dart, was seriously injured after she was recovered face down from the water during the tragic incident in June 2022.

Alex Wood drowned in the tragedy (Devon and Cornwall Police)

Janice Sowden, 60, who was the home's registered manager at the time, has today (Monday, May 18) admitted three counts of not providing care and treatment in a safe way for service users which resulted in avoidable harm.

The three victims were residents at the Burdon Grange care home in Highampton and were on the second trip of the day with three home staff when the tragedy happened.

At an earlier hearing the home admitted the same charges and was fined £180,000 with £20,000 costs.

Exeter Magistrates’ Court heard the care home did not carry out any risk assessments and that their residents on the lake trip were not fitted with lifejackets and only had buoyancy aids.

District Judge Stuart Smith said the victims had “no means of release or rescue if they entered the water” which is 130-feet deep in parts.

He said the care home had a complacency about risk and an over-reliance on the boat hirers.

The judge said the incident was “devastating, harrowing and absolutely tragic”.

The Care Quality Commission said the “provider, manager and staff failed to assess the risks of the boat trip and did not take reasonable, practical steps to manage the risks for the highly vulnerable people in their care”.

The CQC, which prosecuted the cases, said staff also failed to plan for what would happen if residents entered the water and one staff member involved could not swim.

Sowden, of Borough View, Halwill Junction, Beaworthy, pleaded guilty on the day her trial was due to begin.

She will be sentenced next month.