Work under way to make seawater pool safer

The Victoria Marine Lake has been closed since 2023

Work is under way at a seawater pool in Jersey to help make it safer amid safety concerns, the government has said.

The Government of Jersey said its infrastructure teams were carrying out "essential emergency works" at the Victoria Marine Lake with a focus to try and prevent whirlpools and rip currents, which it said had been caused by variations in the tides through openings in the wall.

The 128-year-old pool, near the waterfront in St Helier, has been closed since 2023 due to the risk.

The government announced last month that full repairs were planned for spring 2026 after more than 1,500 people signed a petition calling for it to be restored.

Its hoped the works would prevent whirlpools and rip currents

Deputy Inna Gardiner has asked for an additional £600,000 in the budget to conduct more works at the site.

In a Facebook post, the government's infrastructure team said: "Working in line with tidal patterns, we've taken the necessary time to address key concerns, particularly the risk of whirlpools and rip currents caused by tidal variations through existing openings in the wall."

It said the pool remained signposted to warn against swimming.

It said: "We cannot guarantee that further openings will not occur at this stage.

"Your safety remains our priority, and we appreciate your understanding as these works continue."