After months of renovations, Penryn Primary Academy’s swimming pool has reopened its doors.

The pool was originally opened in 1974 after being built by teachers and parents, and the local community were in attendance for its reopening.

Head of school, James Hitchens, said: “Being able to provide swimming lessons on our doorstep is extraordinary and we are extremely privileged at Penryn Primary Academy.

“This building provides not just a fun, healthy and inclusive sporting activity for all ages, but enables us to teach our children, quite literally, skills for life for many members of our community.”

Previous Penryn headmaster Mr Bray was the first person to try the pool in 1974, and it was fitting that his family were the ones to reopen it, with his grandson attending the school.

Over the last four months, the 45-year-old building has been stripped back to its original steel structure, receiving a new roof, new purpose-built changing rooms with showers and toilets, as well as a new disabled changing facility, new lighting, new floor, and lots of new paint.

The pool is now ready for its visitors, with more than 1,000 children using it each year, not just from Penryn academy but also surrounding schools and a swim school.

Thanks to generous funding from numerous benefactors, many more generations of school children will be able to access swimming lessons in a bright, modern, safe and hygienic environment.

Pupils from year two were the first children to use the pool, with student Ellena saying: “I love splashing with my friends and learning lots of new strokes.”

Thomas added: “Learning to swim at school is really cool.

“It looks all bright and shiny now; I can’t wait for our lessons to start!”