Lost open air pools once popular with Mancs we'd love to take a dip in right now

As the hot weather continues, many Mancunians will long for a dip in the cool blue waters of the open air swimming pools of years past.

From paddling pools to ornate lidos that wouldn't have looked out of place on Mount Olympus, Greater Manchester and the wider region used to be blessed with open air pools. Many were built in the early part of the 20th century, which was a golden age for outdoor swimming pools in Britain.

But as the 20th century wore on, many lidos started to close as foreign holidays - with their reliable warm weather - became cheaper and ageing pools became increasingly expensive to maintain.

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So, to mark what feels like the real start of the summer, we thought we'd take a look back at the lost open air pools once loved by Mancunians. This won't be a complete list, so if there are any you think should have been included, let us know in the comments.

The old paddling pool in Heaton park next to the main playground was a popular attraction for kids, who would spend hours splashing about in its shallow waters. Sadly, by the late 1990s, the pool was in a poor state and was eventually filled in by the council.

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Despite it's poor condition in its later years, many people still have fond memories of the paddling pool from their own childhoods. But going further back, Heaton Park did actually have its own lido which was built and opened to the public in 1926.

This lost lido offered Mancunians a chance to enjoy a seaside experience without having to travel to the