VOLUNTEERS have been hard at work, preparing Wotton’s community swimming pool for this year’s summer season.

The dedicated team have been making sure everything is ready for the reopening on April 20.

The pool has been given a spring clean, life guards have been trained, and solar panels are gently starting to heat the water.

When it came to making sure the enclosure’s semi-elliptical roof was gleaming, this posed a bit of a problem.

But volunteer John Hartley took on the challenge and came up with a novel solution.

He has made a purpose built device which features two brushes fitted into a trolley with wheels, which rolls over the roof.

It takes two people to operate it, one on each side with a rope, pulling it gently back and forth.

Following a naming competition, John's invention has ended up with four names: Scruuby Do, Steve McClean, Duncan Goodview and Brushy McBrushface.

“We liked all the names, so he goes by all four, people use the one they prefer,” said pool chairman Alan George.

The roof slides back and forth, meaning the pool can be open air or enclosed, depending on the weather.

"When the weather is nice, there's nothing better than swimming outdoors," said Alan.

"But when the weather's bad, we can close the roof, allowing people to have a reliable swim, whatever the weather."

He added: “The pool is a hugely popular and well-used resource for the community in Wotton, providing a low-cost sport and recreation facility within walking distance of the town.

“We are going to open to the public on April 20, in the afternoon, and we are looking forward to an entertaining summer of activity."

The construction of the pool at Wotton began in 1959, led by a group of pupils and teachers from the County Secondary School and some engineers.

The curriculum then included handicraft and constructional skills, and the pool became a project in which the whole school were involved.

More information about Wotton Swimming Pool is available at wottonpool.co.uk