A 12-year-old boy drowned in a school swimming pool during an educational holiday.

Muhammad Talha Baber died at Newlands School's activity centre in Seaford.

An investigation has been launched into his death but police believe there are no suspicious circumstances.

Muhammad was part of a group on an educational holiday in the UK when he died.

The group, from Pakistan, was staying at the school in Eastbourne Road, Seaford, and using its activity centre.

While the tragedy unfolded, pupils at the school itself were involved in putting on an arts festival.

Paramedics were called to the school at about 8pm on Friday.

Police said Muhammad had got into difficulties in the pool.

Lifeguards tried to resuscitate him and paramedics battled to save him at the school.

He was taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A post-mortem examination showed he had drowned.

Sussex Police and the Health and Safety Executive are preparing a report for East Sussex Coroner Alan Craze.

Newlands headteacher Mandy Johannson spoke to pupils at the school this week about Muhammad's death.

She said: “It was a tragic accident.

“Everyone is very calm and everybody has been very good about it.

“I am trying to minimise the impact on the other children and the community.”

She said new groups are arriving at the centre as normal.

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said its inspectors would be investigating whether the school had breached any safety laws.

Conservative councillor Ian White, who represents the Seaford West ward on Lewes District Council, was at the school for the arts festival on Friday.

He said people's thoughts would be with Muhammad's parents or grandparents.

He said: “Everybody is always upset and saddened by an accident like this.

“It is not something one would wish on one's worst enemy.

“It is an awful thing to happen and it does have an effect on people.”