Praise for the new 25 metre swimming pool and a climbing wall came at the official opening of both facilities at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys.

The pool and wall are also available to other schools and the community and the climbing wall is now a key part of the PE curriculum.

Praising the new facilities, Kent County Council leader, Cllr Paul Carter, said they were just the kind that a modern school should have for young people.

A Langton swimming squad has now been established with the aim of competing in inter-school competitions.

One of the first primary schools to use the pool is Cartwright and Kelsey at Ash whose headteacher, Matthew Crick said: “We are delighted with the facilities. Both the environment and instruction has stimulated great progress in swimming for our children.”

A former pupil has also taken the plunge and says the experience was a lot more pleasant than he recalls at the old open air pool in his school days.

Keith Farrier, now in his fifites, said: “We had to get changed elsewhere and march in our trunks across to the pool.

“It was so cold, and I had a dreadful fear of swimming so that in the end I would rack my brain for new excuses to get out of it.”

Keith is now having lessons with instructor Zoe Wockner at the heated pool. “I’ve had two so far and it’s a far cry from the old days,” he said.