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Celebrations as community-run pool turns 60

BBC An outdoor pool with colourful changing rooms around it, benches and bunting aboveBBC
The pool, which is heated, was first opened in 1964

Celebrations have been held to mark an outdoor swimming pool in Wiltshire turning 60.

Tisbury Swimming Pool opened in 1964, and its diamond year has been marked this weekend with late-night swimming, a fete, live music and auction at the village hall, as well as a fun swimming gala.

It is Wiltshire's only remaining public outdoor pool, and is run on a not-for-profit basis by volunteers from the local community.

Local schools use the pool, with refreshments available on site.

Steff Wells, wearing a red fleece and glasses, standing beside the pool
Steff Wells manages the pool and said she does not get that much time for swimming herself

Pool manager Steff Wells said they "always try to keep up-to-date with everything".

Lots of fundraising for new facilities have been held, such as a new wet room for disabled users in 2022 and a pool lift in 2023.

"People presume I swim every day, but I don't actually have time to," added Ms Wells.

A garden gnome in the pool area, dressed in a wetsuit with a surfboard
The pool has lots of colourful additions around its sides.

'Fabulous and lovely'

Friends Anna Tucker and Bridget McCloud are regulars at the pool.

Ms Tucker said she makes the trip from Salisbury because the Timsbury pool is "fabulous" and "there isn't anything like it" in her home town.

She added: "It is lovely - I've met a lot of lovely people here. Everyone is friendly and we all fit around each other."

Ms McCloud lives in Tisbury and explained she came along a couple of times a week but "when Covid times were on, we came every Saturday".

The friends said they felt "exhilarated" after a swim.

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