The Shepton Mallet community can look forward to sustained splashes and swims, thanks to a significant financial boost from the government's Swimming Pool Support Fund.

Somerset Council has been granted £211,208, a portion of which is earmarked for the Shepton Mallet Lido.

The allocation will help to alleviate the heightened expenses for utilities and swimming pool chemicals, ensuring the facility remains a hub for leisure and learning in the town.

Somerset Council has been awarded £211,208 from the government's Swimming Pool Support Fund (Phase 1), which will be divided across five swimming pool facilities within Somerset at Frome Leisure Centre, Shepton Mallet Lido, Wells Leisure Centre, Brean Splash and Burnham-on-Sea Swim and Sports Academy.

Somerset Council has also submitted an application to Phase 2 of the Swimming Pool Support Fund which will provide grant funding for capital investments to help swimming pools become more energy efficient.

Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts said "We are delighted to have received funding from Phase 1 of the Swimming Pool Support Fund. These funds will provide welcome support to the operators of these five sites at what is a financially challenging time for swimming pool operators and will support them to continue to provide public swimming, positively contributing to residents' health and wellbeing as well as providing a place for local school children to learn to swim."