Early-dip swimmers face ban

For more than 100 years, swimmers have headed to Hampstead Heath for an early-morning dip in its icy ponds.

The Corporation of London, which runs the heath, is this week set to ban unsupervised swimming - denying many the chance of an invigorating dip before work.

A hardy band of around 20 swimmers turns up each morning, often before sunrise, to use the ponds. The corporation wants to restrict them to daylight hours to protect them and its lifeguards.

The corporation, which spends £600,000 a year employing 45 lifeguards to oversee the three bathing ponds and nearby Parliament Hill lido, says its members could personally face prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive if it permits unsupervised swimming and an incident occurs.

It commissioned a safety audit by the Amateur Swimming Association, which supported the ban.

The ponds open at varying times throughout the year, the latest around 8am.

A corporation spokesman said the ban would only affect a few swimmers. "The problem was we had lifeguards turning up for work in the dark, trying to lifeguard people in murky water," he said. "It wasn't safe for lifeguards or swimmers." The proposed ban has provoked a huge row, with both sides instructing barristers to fight their case.

Robert Sutherland Smith, chairman of the United Swimmers Association, said: "We are not giving up on this. We do it not only for ourselves but also in the name of future generations."

He said there was no evidence of swimmers having come to difficulty in the ponds, which are free to use. His organisation offered to run a system of self-regulation before the lifeguards start work, but this is set to be rejected by the corporation on legal advice.

Mr Sutherland Smith, who has used the ponds most days for 30 years, said the proposed restrictions would effectively ban working swimmers throughout the winter months.

He added: "I can scarcely imagine going through the winter without an early-morning swim. It's wonderful water. It comes directly from spring water under the ground. Swimming in cold water gives you an amazing sense of well-being."