Families enjoy brief taste of summer

Summer finally arrived in Rotherham this week  - but the paddling pool in the town’s premier park proved a washout.

Resourceful youngsters took a dip in Clifton Park’s fountain after the pumps on the water park went on the blink, turning the beach-style attraction into what one mum branded “a muddy puddle.”

Dozens of families flocked to the park to make the most of Tuesday’s heatwave, which saw the temperature hitting the high 20sC and fell during the first week of the school holidays.

Things cooled off again on Wednesday and the bad news is showers are expected throughout the next week.

Rotherham Borough Council apologised for the problems at the water park, with park manager Alistair Farr saying: “We are having problems with the water pressure and we appreciate the lack of availability is hugely frustrating for all those who were hoping to take advantage of the water play during the recent hot weather.

“We are working hard to rectify the problem but in the meantime we would advise people that the feature may be closed from time to time or there may only be a very limited service while each of the six water features is tested and the necessary repairs are carried out.”

Meanwhile, Magna Science Adventure Centre reported booming business thanks to the warm start to the school holidays, with 2,000 people visiting the Templeborough attraction in the first five days of the long break, many of them taking the opportunity to cool off in the attraction’s Aqua-Tek outdoor water play area.