'I was an idiot', says Ponds Forge intruder filmed cycling off diving board

McCaulay Foster was one of two men who hid inside Ponds Forge last Tuesday before emerging at around midnight and filming themselves messing about in and around the pool.

He uploaded a video to YouTube the next day which shows them sliding down the flumes and splashing around in the pool, with Mr Foster at one point riding a bike off a diving board into the water.

Mr Foster, who is aged 20 and lives in Manor, said he now realises how irresponsible their actions were and wants to ensure viewers are not tempted to pull a similarly foolish and illegal stunt.

"I accept I was an idiot and what I did was incredibly irresponsible. It was a stupid idea that got out of hand," he told The Star.

He added: "We didn't think before we did it, but now I realise how much could have gone wrong, and how lucky we are that it didn't.

"I just hope nobody sees it, thinks 'I want to do that' and puts themselves at risk. That's the last thing I wanted."

Mr Foster has previously uploaded other videos showing him and his friends smuggling a bike into the 21-storey Chinatown development which is taking shape beside the ring road, and into Sheffield Hallam University.

Those videos remain available to view online, along with the footage from Ponds Forge.

Mr Foster has subsequently uploaded another video showing him discussing the media coverage in The Star and on TV, in which he is seen grinning and at one point saying 'get me, on the news'. He even uploaded excerpts from his phone interview with The Star.

Asked why he had not removed the video and why he appears to be enjoying the media attention, he said he remained apologetic but didn't want to take down the video as it would then have been a 'pointless activity'.

He is currently unemployed but said he went for an interview last week and had to tell his potential employers about what he had done.

Mr Foster said his friend, who is aged 25 and also from Manor, did not want to be named as he was 'more of a follower' and has children.

He said police had not contacted him since he phoned them to confess, but he had asked them to 'keep me in the loop'.

He also said he had offered to visit the centre and apologise personally to staff but had not received a response.

"I'm going to stick to riding my bike in regular places from now," he added.

The manager at Ponds Forge previously condemned the intruders' actions but SIV, which manages the leisure centre, has declined to comment further.

South Yorkshire Police said no one had been arrested in connection with the incident.