Stand-off at the Serpentine: swimmers defy lido closure

Anger: swimmers argue with police at the Serpentine lido in Hyde Park

Swimmers staged an angry stand-off with police after being shut out of the Serpentine's outdoor pool during a weekend of record high temperatures.

Tempers flared when managers of the lido in Hyde Park ruled it would not be re-opened to the public yesterday. Its season ended on September 12.

Hundreds ignored the locked gates and jumped the fence before park staff called the police, who ordered them out.

Visitors hit out at the decision to bar them from the lido on a day where outdoor pools across the capital were filled with swimmers. Temperatures hit 29C in the capital, a record for October, and Londoners are set for more hot weather today - though it will become "significantly cooler" as the week goes on, hitting 21C tomorrow.

Rob Ellen, a teacher, and friend Lyndon Harrison, a chef, both 25, only managed a brief swim in the Serpentine before they were ordered out.

Mr Ellen said: "This is in the centre of London, people should be allowed to swim in the Serpentine if they choose. The police were actually quite understanding but said we couldn't swim there because it was closed.

"There were about 50 people swimming here, families and people of all ages, everyone was enjoying themselves."

It costs £4 per adult to use the lido and £1 for children under 15 and there is a lifeguard on duty.

One swimmer, who has been visiting the lido for 40 years, said: "I spent yesterday and today swimming here. I would say there have been about 500 people here throughout the day.

"The police have been here on both days, there were six officers here yesterday. They told us all to leave. So we all left the area and then just jumped the fence again when they had gone.

"This is a facility for the public, we should be allowed to use it. There was obviously no lifeguard on duty, but I wasn't too worried about that.

"There were families here with young children, it is a miracle no one was hurt, with people jumping over the fence."

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