THE largest freshwater outdoor swimming pool in Devon is to get a new lease of life after West Devon Borough Council helped to fund a major improvement for the facility. The council has given a grant of £3,000 towards the cost of a special liner which will help keep the pool clean and safe for swimmers. The whole project has cost around £28,000 with contributions coming from Devon County Council, local fundraising, Chagford Recreational Trust and many others. Cllr Robert Sampson, the borough council's community services chairman and ward member for Chagford, said: 'I am so pleased that West Devon continues to support Chagford Pool. I try to remind my fellow councillors of this great facility at every opportunity. 'The pool was built by voluntary local labour and it is a tribute to the community that, eighty years on, it is run so successfully by voluntary effort.' Some 8,000 swims take place each year at Chagford Pool, which was built in 1933 and is fed with water from the nearby River Teign. The Chagford Swimming Pool Committee was paying more than £5,000 every few years to get the pool shell repainted but the new liner is expected to last for up to 20 years.  Barnaby Dickens from the pool committee said: 'The new liner has already made a big difference. The pool is much more attractive, easier to clean and safer — with a special non-slip surface at the shallow end and on the steps. 'But the biggest benefit has been the absence of leaks. We haven't had to top the pool up at all so far, so the water is warmer, we don't need to use so many chemicals and maintenance is reduced. 'Generations of children from Chagford and the surrounding area have learnt to swim in the pool and the liner will help us continue for many years to come.' The new liner was installed in the spring and has already been put through its paces during the summer season when the pool has been busy with swimmers enjoying the hot weather. Cllr James McInnes, borough councillor and Devon County Councillor for the Hatherleigh and Chagford Division, contributed £750 to the project from his Locality Budget. He said: 'Chagford Pool is well supported by the local community but also nationally famous and a destination for tourists each year. Helping to fund the pool liner makes perfect sense and we hope this investment will help the pool go from strength to strength.' Last year, West Devon Borough Council contributed £5,000 towards the cost of solar covers for the pool which provide a sustainable way of keeping the water at a pleasant temperature for swimming. The borough council has a small pot of money it uses each year to fund local projects which benefit the local community. Chagford Swimming Pool is open daily until early September. For more times and prices go to the website at http://www.chagfordpool.co.uk">www.chagfordpool.co.uk To find out about community grants visit http://www.westdevon.gov.uk">www.westdevon.gov.uk or call 01822 813600.