Council still unsure when paddling pool can reopen

The Stoke Park paddling pool was expected to open in time for the half term holiday in May

A Surrey paddling pool still does not have an opening date, one month after it was due to reopen for the summer.

Guildford Borough Council said it was "unable to confirm an exact opening date" for the Stoke Park paddling pool.

The attraction was due to open on 24 May but testing after resurfacing works found the water was contaminated.

"We understand how frustrating this closure is but the safety of visitors remains the priority," the council told the BBC.

A spokesperson said staff are "working hard" but testing still indicated "high combined chlorine levels".

"These levels indicate that the chlorine we are adding to the paddling pool is not effectively cleaning the water," according to the council.

"Bacteria and algae might still be present, so we need to achieve a safe combined chlorine level before we can reopen."

The current state of the pool poses possible health risks including skin and eye irritation, stomach issues or respiratory problems, the local authority added.

The paddling pool, which typically opens annually from May until September, also suffered opening delays in 2024 due to staffing problems.

It last underwent a refurbishment in 2022.