Contaminated water delays paddling pool reopening

Contaminated water has delayed the reopening of a paddling pool in Guildford.

The Stoke Park paddling pool was expected to open on Saturday ahead of the half term school holiday.

However, final water testing after resurfacing works revealed it was not yet safe to open the facility, according to Guildford Borough Council.

Julia McShane, leader of the local authority, apologised to families, adding: "Your safety and your children's safety is our utmost priority."

In a video posted on Facebook, McShane explained: "In the last phases of the water testing, we discovered the water has been contaminated...

"So we have taken the decision that it isn't safe to open the paddling pool.

"I'm really sorry, we are all devastated."

McShane said the council had "worked so hard" to get the pool resurfaced and the staffing in place for the scheduled opening but said it would look into what had happened and "put things right".

Maksim Fedosov, who has a two-year-old child, told BBC Radio Surrey his family used the pool last summer.

He said: "It's quite disappointing, especially in the hot weather. It's quite useful."

Adrian Fuller, 71, said: "When you start getting the good weather it gets very, very busy down there with the kids. It's a very popular thing.

"It's absolutely choc-a-block in the good weather."

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.

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