Are you sure you fancy a dip?

Many swimming pools at holiday resorts around the world are “little better than lavatories” in terms of their cleanliness, according to a report by the Consumers’ Association. The Daily Mail, which today reports the story, says that three out of four pools tested by the group’s experts were failed, while one in four was deemed a “serious health hazard”. According to the newspaper, the report, in Holiday Which?, states: “Sweat, urine, mucus, saliva, dead skin and faecal matter – not to mention sun cream, perfume and cosmetics – are among the pollutants introduced by bathers” The group’s managing editor Kim Winter reportedly told the Mail: “Our stomach-churning evidence of gross bacterial contamination shows the apparent incompetence of most hotels at maintaining effective levels of water disinfectant in their pools. This is posing a serious health hazard to holidaymakers.” The tests were carried out on 80 swimming pools on the holiday islands of Majorca and Corfu; according to the Daily Mail, just 13 were satisfactory and only two were given top marks for cleanliness.