CHILDREN as young as four months old will be encouraged to learn to swim at a Rossendale pool as part of a new mother and toddler group.

Visitors to Marl Pits are likely to see babies splashing about with their water wings as staff at the centre believe it is the best time to start learning.

With 1,000 learners per week at Marl Pits alone, one of the pleasures of working at Rossendale Council's pools is seeing former pupils return with children of their own.

Alan Spencer, a firefighter who works as a swimming teacher on a casual basis, said: "Teaching them younger than before represents the latest thinking. Almost all children love water but the younger you get them the better.

"It is all about confidence in the water and there is no better way to gain that than by learning in parent and toddler classes. Those classes are not even so much about learning to swim. They are about feeling happy in the water when they are with someone like their parent or other relative."

The parent and toddler classes, which include games and nursery rhymes are held during the day on Monday but are also now being introduced on Tuesday afternoons.

Typical swimming classes at Marls Pits today have two teachers in the water and one on the poolside.

John Riddy, pool duty manager, said: "The parent and toddler classes have been a great success but one of the biggest changes over the years has been the growth of adult swimming classes.

"Quite often adults have spent decades missing the pleasure of swimming and then they become grandparents and want to help their grandchildren. It takes a lot of courage for them to get back into the water but makes family time all the more pleasurable.

"Their initial problem is simple fear. It is fear that should have been overcome in their childhoods and that is why we started the parent and toddler classes.

"It is a serious business but one that has great pleasures. There is nothing we like more than seeing a child we taught doing well in competitions -- or seeing them return later in life with children of their own."

The next courses for children start in the week beginning June 9 while adults can come along any Tuesday night at 8.30pm.