HUNDREDS of children cheered as their newly-refurbished swimming pool has been officially re-opened.

Moordown St Johns C of E Primary School, which is based in Vicarage Road, launched a £25,000 fundraising campaign at the start of the year to carry out the necessary works to update the pool or risk seeing it close.

Work was carried out to re-lay the pool to take away any chipped and broken tiles and make it deeper, so that children of all ages at the school can use it.

Pupils at the school organised a swimathon, while disabled boy, Zack Sturgess, nine, organised his own 21-mile swimming challenge to help raise the funds. Two members of staff also jumped out of a plane and took part in a sponsored skydive.

The Mayor of Bournemouth, Cllr Eddie Coope, and Mayoress, Janet, were invited to cut the ribbon on the pool, which will enable the children to continue to have swimming lessons in the water, while keeping fit.

Peter Herbert, head teacher, said: "Over 200 visitors and children witnessed The Mayor of Bournemouth, Councillor Coope and Mrs Coope open our fantastic, newly refurbished swimming pool.

"It was a special event with many of the local businesses and parents represented who gave so generously.

"Mrs Ria Laws and Mrs Sharon Abley were also commended for their role in organising and making the refurbishment happen.

"After the pool was officially opened, children from Mrs Abley’s swimming club gave a demonstration showing their stroke technique and life saving skills."

Since it was originally built by Moordown school staff and parents in the 1960s, the pool is estimated to have enabled around half a million youngsters to learn to swim.

Wayne Barker, who is a parent of children at the school, designed a mural made up of children’s handprints in the shape of a giant whale, which adorns the new shallow end wall and entrance foyer of the pool.

Another parent, Alex Berry, who works as a graphic designer at Churchill Retirement Living's head office in Ringwood, appeal to the Churchill Foundation through its Small Grants Programme to secure a £1,000 contribution to boost the coffers.

Alex said: "I was delighted that the Churchill Foundation was able to contribute towards the school swimming pool project, which will benefit both my daughters and thousands of other local children.

"It was an honour to attend the opening ceremony and it really brought home to me how much the community has put into keeping the pool going over the years, so I’m really proud to have been a part of that."