A seaside resort's paddling pool for children remained empty today despite a heatwave gripping Britain.

Frustrated parents turned up with toddlers at Sheerness seafront on the Isle of Sheppey only to find the pool closed with just discarded plastic bottles where the water should be.

Mum Sarah Owen, 30, from Alma Street, Sheerness, arrived with her three-old son Ronnie.

She said: "It's stupid. There are all these facilities but none of them are open. I have three kids and my brother has three. Normally we'd spend all day here.

"We can sit on the benches with our lunch while the kids splash about in safety. Instead, I've had to buy a paddling pool for the garden.

"I take the children to the beach but the last time, Ronnie fell in the water and cut his leg on the stones."

Ryan Holman, 33, and his partner Veronica Upton, 35 from Sheerness were on the beach just metres away soaking up the sun with two-year-old Rory.

Ryan said: "We've been asking for the past couple of months why the paddling pool is still closed. I don't understand it. We have a Blue Flag beach but not a lot to show for it. It would be so much easier to watch the kids in.

"The last time I was on the beach I was carrying Rory and cut my feet to shreds on the rocks beneath the water. The sea is fine but not much good when the tide is out."

Janet Deadman, 66, runs the ice cream kiosk next to the paddling pool. She said: "I've tried and tried to get it open but no one seems to be listening.

"Years ago it was open six months of the year but for the past few years it's only been open the six weeks during the school summer holidays. This time they blamed it on a national shortage of chlorine but people on social media were offering to buy it themselves.

"Now we are told there is no electricity. The kids are so upset. Some come from miles because it is a safe little area sheltered from the wind.

"On a sunny day like today it would normally be packed. I know the sea is only over the wall but you can't go paddling when the tide is out. I think it is disgusting. It's not good for a seaside town. It's not fair on the children."

Swale council blamed the closure on a national shortage of chlorine. This week it announced on social media it had sourced supplies of the gas to keep the water clean but said the pool would stay shut because there was no power.

Cllr Oliver Eakin (Con, Sheerness) said: "The chlorine required has now been delivered. However, another issue has occurred.

"There is a fault with the electricity supply and Npower is required to come out and fix the fault. Npower has no estimated time of arrival or when they expect to complete the work."

He said the council would continue to chase the power company and added: "Maintenance is ongoing. Once the electricity supply is restored it should be very quick to get the pool back into use."

The paddling pool has a history of problems. In 2019 residents branded it a "disgrace" because it was dirty and in 2017 it was closed four days after reopening following a £22,500 refit when children began slipping over.

The pool is part of the Sheppey Leisure Centre and is run by Swale Community Leisure on behalf of Swale council. Swale council was asked for a comment.

Sheerness Town Council had part of the beach cleared of stones earlier this year to make paddling safer. The area is marked with buoys but there are no notices explaining why.

Residents have been campaigning for a tidal pool on the beach like at Margate or Southend.