One of the county's most popular outdoor attractions is set to start operating again.

The Strand open-air pool in Gillingham will be up and running for weekends only from Saturday, May 29.

It will then open daily from Saturday, July 24 until Wednesday, September 1.

Its usual summer season was wiped out last year due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The venue – now in its 125th year – boasts a leisure pool, 25-metre swim area, 300-metre lazy river and children’s slides.

An online pre-booking system will be in place with people able to book a morning or afternoon session from noon on Saturday, May 22.

Numbers for each session will be limited, in line with government social distancing requirements.

All sessions must be booked online, in advance, by visiting medway.gov.uk/strand.

If residents do not have access to the internet, they can visit Medway Park in Gillingham or Strood or Hoo sports centres to book online, or phone 01634 336655, during office hours, to book a session.

Customers must bring their booking confirmation with them, either printed out, or on their phones, for their session.

To mark the125th anniversary, the council is creating an online exhibition, using memories and images to celebrate its history.

This also forms part of Estuary 21, an arts festival which celebrates the lives, landscapes and histories of the Thames Estuary.

There are more than 20 exciting events and activities happening across Medway during the festival, which supports Medway’s aspirations to become UK City of Culture in 2025.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway