The Strand lido is looking better than ever after volunteers spent a day cleaning up and preparing the open air pool for a summer of fun.

Friends of The Strand Pool gathered at the leisure centre in Gillingham on Sunday July 3 as part of ongoing efforts to encourage more swimmers to the pool, which had its opening hours restricted by Medway council last month.

Cllr Andy Stamp, who was among the volunteers, said: “We were just making it as clean as possible so people could enjoy it. “There were plenty of families that turned up and they seemed pretty happy.

“It wasn’t necessarily 100 per cent ready when it opened in May but the good thing is this has sparked up a ‘friends group’ and they’re going from strength to strength.”

Swimmers launched a social media campaign after the council announced the pool would only be open at weekends until July 24 and will then open daily until Sunday, September 4, between 11am and 5pm.

The pool had previously been open from 8.30am to 7pm, seven days a week and residents are angry the changes were made without a public consultation.