CHAGFORD Pool has opened for the summer season — for the first time since major flood damage to the facility back in February.

The pool, a river-fed outdoor pool on the outskirts of Chagford, was left covered in sludge and debris in February after the River Teign burst its banks following a heavy downpour of rain. The changing rooms were left full of silt, the drains had backed up and water had seeped into the plant room and tea shed.

The pool team has worked incredibly hard to get the pool ready for the new season on May 28 after severe flooding and damage.

The pool was awarded a flood relief grant from Sport England to help restore the pool after the River Teign entered the pool, changing rooms, tea shed and car park.

Volunteer work parties have met each Saturday to help clear the damage and members of the community have been involved in the clear-up process including Chagford Fire Brigade.

Since autumn 2015, Chagford Swimming Pool has been transformed through a series of funding awards, and new heated showers are just the beginning of the improvements made at the pool in recent months.

Over the winter Chagford Swimming Pool has put a separate Sport England National Lottery funding award to good use, installing a new heating system which will use air source heat pumps to heat the 33 metre pool to an ambient temperature.

A solar PV system has been installed to power the showers and tea shed, cutting bills and along with a UV filtration system will make this pool one of Devon’s most eco-friendly outdoor pools.