Delight as lido opens early in time for heatwave

Swimmers and others trying to stay cool during the heatwave have been enjoying an outdoor pool that reopened early this year following a backlash from residents.

Abbey Meadows Outdoor Pool in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, usually stays shut until the start of the school summer holidays part of an agreement between operators Better Leisure and the Vale of White Horse District Council.

There had previously been local upset and frustration after the pool failed to reopen during the record-breaking temperatures England experienced at the end of May.

But with more hot spells forecast for June, the pool's management team decided to open up the facility almost a month earlier than planned.

Speaking to the BBC in front of the sun-drenched pool this week, Pam Radley - from Better Leisure - said a system upgrade helped them to decide when they open the pool and how long for.

"We opened the doors a month earlier and are operating a slightly different schedule this year," she explained.

"We're following dynamic programming for this initial first month which will be based on the weather and customer demand, so please use it when it's open."

The reopening has so far proved a hit with locals, including David Lewis, who has been using the lido for 60 years.

"It's fantastic, it's a great facility for Abingdon - I'm so glad it's opened a month early," he said.

"I understand that they had been making a loss with the open air pool but hopefully with this weather holding they'll make a bit of a profit. "

The 72-year-old said access to the pool had become extra useful for him in recent times, after he underwent a heart bypass operation.

"For me personally to get the lengths in just after my surgery has been really good - it's just the best thing for me to do for reconditioning."

Also among the swimmers was Anne, who has previously campaigned to get the facility reopened earlier in the season.

"I've been one of the people who's been writing on social media about getting it opened earlier," she said.

"We have this lovely outdoor pool and people should use it. I booked on Wednesday and couldn't wait to get here."

With the hot temperatures set to continue across Oxfordshire into next week, Radley saids she expected the lido to remain busy.

"The pool is already busy with temperatures rising - we're operating at capacity, which at this venue is 136 people at any one time.

"Every summer when we open it for the six weeks that we operate we see people using it in their droves, especially when the sun is shining and it's all happening a month earlier again this year."