Somerset pool celebrates its 80th birthday

One of our region's most historic pools is celebrating its 80th birthday.

The Lido in the village of Street, Somerset is marking the anniversary.

It still boasts some of the original swimmers from when it opened eight decades ago.

The original highboard may have gone, but something that remains is the gratitude for the gift of the pool by a family who had a famous shoe factory nearby.

David Mogg, the manager of the Greenbank Swimming Pool, fondly remembers the story of how the pool came about.

When the pool was opened 80 years ago it was heated by the boilers from the Clarks factory across the road.

However, the boilers were turned off when the factories were closed at weekends. This meant that the pool was cold when most people were using it.

These days even gloomy clouds and biting winds have no effect - the pool has its own boiler and the water is a consistent 29 degrees.

Some swimmers have been coming here since the pool's first day in 1937.

At 80 years young, it shows no signs of stopping. It still relies on the backing of the Clarks family and on its loyal band of swimmers who are there whatever the weather.