Royal visit to swimming pool saved from closure

Rachel Arnott was one of hundreds of well-wishers who met Prince William outside the pool

The Prince of Wales spoke of the Royal Family's love of swimming while visiting a pool previously threatened with closure.

Prince William joined medal-winning British Olympic and Paralympic swimmers at an event to celebrate the reopening of Birtley Community Pool near Gateshead.

Volunteers raised £400,000 to save the pool as a not-for-profit venture, after Gateshead Council closed it in July last year due to budget cuts.

The prince said his foundation wanted to help because "swimming is such an important part of life".

The prince was told the community had raised funds to reopen the pool and businesses and tradespeople had given their time to refurbish the facilities.

The site has had major work, including the installation of new boilers, LED lights and a waterslide.

The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales has announced a partnership with the venture to provide swimming lessons and lifeguard training.

The Prince was joined by Olympic champion Adam Peaty at the pool's official reopening

The foundation said it had been working closely with the pool to help it connect with new partners who could support it.

In a speech at the event, the prince said: "We want to replicate this across the country because swimming is such an important part of life.

"It can save your life, it's a great skill, it's fun, it gives you health, there are social reasons, it is good for people who are isolated.

"All these things are really important and why we need community swimming pools to remain, and come back to life again."

The Prince of Wales speaking with well wishers upon his arrival to Birtley Community Pool

Prince William was joined in Birtley by Paris 2024 Olympians Adam Peaty and Tom Dean, and Paralympians Maisie Summers-Newton and Louise Fiddes.

He told the athletes he and the Princess of Wales "adored" swimming and that his son George had taken up scuba diving.

"We took him under thinking he would freak out - he absolutely loves it," he said.

"It's just introducing him to the world of water."

Almost one in three children in the UK leaves primary education unable to swim, according to Swim England.

Prince William met Olympians and Paralympians at Birtley Community Pool

One of the hundreds who attended the event, 16-year-old Thomas Croft, said the prince asked him if he wanted a selfie.

"Obviously I said yes," he said.

"I've never met a royal before, so I'm definitely going to memorise this day for a long long time."

Mother-of-three Rachel Arnott, 36, said the pool was important to the area.

"I'm really happy the swimming pool reopened again," she said.

"I've got three little ones and swimming's a really important skill."

Thomas Croft said meeting the prince would live long in the memory

Rosalyn Ridley, 34, said her children had just started swimming lessons at the pool when it closed.

"I never in my wildest dreams thought they'd reopen it again," she said.

Previously Birtley Swim Centre, the site opened in 1974 but closed last year due to funding gaps linked to increased energy and operational costs.

Volunteers set up the charitable organisation, Birtley Community Aquatic Centre (BCAC), with the aim of reopening the pool as a not-for-profit venture.

Rosalyn Ridley is delighted for her children that the pool's reopened

Additional reporting by Joshua Aitken, BBC Look North, in Birtley.