Swimmers can once again get back in the water once their local leisure centres re-open, but what Covid restrictions are still in place?

Pembrokeshire County Council said that the rules are similar to those when pools re-opened last September. They said the restrictions are as follows:

• Participants need to come swim-ready (so no changing rooms provided pre swim)

• All sessions have to be pre-booked

• Restricted numbers in lanes

• Designated swimming area for family Pod sessions

• Additional cleaning before and after all sessions

• Sanitising stations located throughout the centres

• Post swimming changing facilities are being provided at some centres – individual spaces and cleaned after use.

Wales' first minister, Mark Drakeford allowed the return of swimming pools on at the start of the month along with things like spas and indoor activities involving no more than 15 people.

Mr. Drakeford said: "The public health situation continues to improve and our vaccination programme remains a success. Thanks to the efforts of people across Wales, we are in a position to further ease the restrictions, in the way we have previously signalled, to allow more elements of normal life to return."

The Swim Wales group is pushing forward with its #getinthewater campaign, their chief executive, Fergus Feeny said: " We must continue to protect each other and stay safe. I’m sure you will join us in celebrating what is a massive step forward for our activities and sport in Wales."

Meanwhile its sister group Swim England recently said it wanted people to get their children back in swimming pools, saying that more than five million swimming sessions, the majority of them swimming lessons, were lost during the pandemic. The chief executive Jane Nickerson said: "The message to parents is please send your children back to lessons,

"To the schools please, please do your swimming lessons. Swimming is great for physical health and we are understanding more and more about its benefits for mental health. But swimming is also an activity that actively saves lives. With summer upon us, I fear for children’s safety in the water and would strongly recommend parents and guardians to be proactive in making up for the lost time."