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A British teenager has drowned after jumping into a swimming pool following a night out at a French ski resort.

Lucy Sallis, 19, is believed to have scaled a fence and jumped into the outdoor pool at around 4.45am.

Police said the trainee chef, from Bognor Regis in Sussex, became trapped under the heated municipal pool’s tarpaulin cover

Lucy had been out drinking with friends at Alpe d’Huez, in the south east of France, where she worked.

(Image: Getty)

She had taken a job working in the kitchen at the Belle Aurore hotel at the resort for the winter season.

Fabrice Hurth, director of the tourist office, said: “We believe she climbed over the fence and jumped in the pool. It probably was just a silly, bad joke that young people do. But it ended tragically.”

A police spokesman said: “A friend saw her enter the water. But she did not return to the surface. She was found under the pool covering. We believe it was an accident.”

Twitter has been flooded with tributes to the pretty teenager, who was described as "the most perfect girl".

One read: "If that doesn't show you how short life is I dunno what does."

(Image: Facebook)

Another friend wrote: "Rest in peace beautiful Lucy Sallis. She was such a beautiful girl, praying for my best friend and her family right now! xxxxx."

Another well-wisher tweeted: "Its horrible how fast a life can be taken away, your with the angels now, rip beautiful."

A postmortem is scheduled for today near Grenoble.

Lucy’s parents Jerry and Karen have been informed.