Britain's largest seawater lido marks 90 years

Swimmers have dived in to mark the 90th anniversary of a "special" Cornish seaside lido.

A celebration event was held on Saturday at Penzance's Jubilee Pool, which first opened its gates in May 1935 as part of King George V's Silver Jubilee.

During the event, people were encouraged to wear vintage swimwear at the pool - which is Britain's largest seawater lido - and a group of 90 partygoers jumped into the water all at once to mark the occasion.

Nicola Murdoch, the pool's chief executive, said it was an honour to be able to celebrate the milestone at the site on Battery Road.

Ms Murdoch said it was a special day at the pool, with other activities at the party including surfing and water polo demonstrations and live music.

She added she was glad the early morning rain had disappeared in time for the main event, but felt even a bit of wet weather would not have dampened the atmosphere.

"It's just an honour to be here on a big day in the pool's history," Ms Murdoch said.

Ms Murdoch said the pool had had to evolve throughout its existence in order to stay open and had been "extremely hard hit" by the weather and elements at various points.

She said the team which runs the pool had always looked for new things to add to the site, including becoming a licensed wedding venue, but the lido was still a special place for many people.

"It's got so much history and so many stories woven into here," Ms Murdoch said.

"It's beautiful and stunning."

Two of the swimmers who took part in the festivities were mother and daughter duo Lesley and Tamsyn Nowman, who regularly use the lido.

They said the pool was a significant place for their family as Lesley's mother had visited the site the day after it opened in 1935.

Tamsyn added: "It's such a lovely event to bring all the community together and to celebrate such a special place that we're really lucky to have on our doorstep."

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