Man in his 20s dies while working out at University of East Anglia gym as he suffers 'medical incident'- just two years after swimmer died in the pool

A man in his 20s died at a university gym yesterday after suffering a 'medical incident', police have revealed.

Emergency services rushed to University of East Anglia's Sportspark in Norwich following concerns about the man, who had been using gym equipment.

He was treated by paramedics but died at the scene.

Two years ago a swimmer died at the facility's swimming pool after staff failed to spot him due to a 'flawed' underwater camera system.

The gym closed after the latest incident and remains closed today. It has not been revealed whether the man suddenly collapsed or suffered an injury.

A Norfolk Police spokesman said: 'Emergency services were called to the Sportspark gym shortly after 7pm following reports of a medical incident involving a man who had been using equipment.

'A man, aged in his 20s, was treated by paramedics but was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. His family have been informed.

'The area was evacuated while emergency services provided medical treatment.

'A police cordon is in place and the gym will remain closed while enquiries are carried out to establish the circumstances surrounding the death, which is being treated as unexplained.'

UAE Sportspark said in a statement: 'We are aware of an incident at the Sportspark during which someone received emergency treatment but sadly died.

'We are providing support to staff and Sportspark is currently closed.'

The university confirmed the gym would remain closed today as enquiries continue.

Molly Walker, 19, a first-year medical student at the university, told the BBC everyone had been left 'shocked and sad' by the death.

'It's awful. They were so young and they clearly had a bright future coming here, so it's just tragic,' she said.

'Everyone's really upset by it. It's not a nice thing to have happened on our campus.'

Neil Tosdevin, who works at the university, added: 'I go in the gym and see the students using it all the time. That's really sad.'

Harry Darlington, 28, said: 'It's really scary to realise someone has actually died at the gym. It's really horrific.'

A large number of emergency vehicles attended the scene following the 999 call, including a forensics van.

An East of England Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: 'We were called at 7.04pm yesterday with reports of a medical emergency in Earlham Road, Norwich.

'We sent an East Anglian Air Ambulance response car, two ambulances and an ambulance officer vehicle.

'Sadly, despite our best efforts, a man died at the scene.'

In February this year, a coroner recorded a narrative verdict after a talented violinist died in the gym's pool.

Dominic Hopkins, 57, the former leader of Norwich Philharmonic Orchestra, was submerged for nearly seven minutes after suffering an epileptic fit in the shallow end of the baths in January 2022.

Two of the three lifeguards on duty had monitors with feeds from nine underwater cameras but the inquest heard they didn't see him because he appeared so small on the 3.7in by 2.9in screen.

Mr Hopkins was an experienced swimmer who used the pool most days to help with his Marfan syndrome – a disorder of the body's connective tissues for which he had undergone more than 20 operations.

As an epilepsy sufferer, he wore a bright blue cap to help him stand out in the water.

UEA said after the inquest that procedures and technology had been updated.