Olympic star Becky Adlington backing new swimming pool for Castleford

Swim! is due to open in the coming weeks at Xscape and is part owned by the 34-year-old who shot to fame in the 2008 Olympic Games.

As part owner in the venture, Becky is hoping the new pool will help teach the life-saving skill of swimming to youngsters aged three to 11-year-olds. And so far the response has exceeded expectation with more than 70 per cent of the lessons being snapped up already.

Becky said: “We’re on a mission to help make sure every child in the country knows how to swim. We estimate that currently in the UK, one in four children can’t swim by the time they go to secondary school and that’s what we want to change. It’s a life-saving skill and we believe it’s vital for children to learn as early as possible.

“As we’ve already seen by the level of pre-bookings, there’s a real need and appetite for this in Castleford and across the Wakefield district. Not only do our swimmers get a premium experience, but they come away with a skill for life.”

A seven-figure sum is being invested in the site, which will create up to 20 new jobs.

Becky, who was made an OBE in 2009, co-founded the business which now runs in partnership with JD Gyms.

She retired from competitive swimming in 2013 after a successful career. She won the gold medals in the 400m and 800m freestyle events in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and took won bronze in both events at the London games four years later. She also struck gold in the World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games.

Xscape Yorkshire turns 20 later this year and bosses are delighted to mark the moment with a major new signing in Becky.

The centre is now almost fully let following other recent openings in the last two years, including the £2m Gravity Max E-karting experience.

An official opening of the new pool is planned in the next two weeks in time for the start of the new school year and is located on the main mall near Gravity Rocks climbing.