Bathers have been told to keep their swimming costumes on while using the showers following complaints from local schools that pupils were offended by ‘open nudity’ and needed ‘a certain amount of privacy.’

Swimmers who regularly use the Torridge Pool in Northam, Devon, described the rule as ‘health and safety gone mad.’

A report from the City of London Corporation in response to calls to enlarge the men’s nude sunbathing area on Hampstead Heath will reportedly crush naturist hopes for room to swing a sunbed at the men’s bathing pond. The report will be presented today at the management committee’s meeting and campaigners are urging supporters to attend and pooh pooh the anticipated decision that will keep nude sunbathers squished together in the 13m by 8m concrete enclosure, surrounded by metal sheets. Lead campaigner Michael Peacock say it’s ‘akin to being in a microwave on a hot day’. The Corporation argues the ponds are primarily for swimming. After wide consultation with swimming groups, they are recommending that the expansion not be approved.

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‘In the women’s race, 10K world champion Keri-Anne Payne took an early lead until the 1.200K mark while followed by a chasing pack with Germany’s Steffi Biller and Nadine Pastor and the Russian Olympic gold medalist Larisa Ilchenko. At this point, the physicality of the sport really came into the full view with leg and elbow kicks coming into quick exchange.’

‘Nadine broke free of the chasing pack and used the calm water to her full advantage, while Katy chose to take a different route than the group as she gained valuable yards. Nadine was the clear winner, but you could have thrown a coin over second, third and fourth. Great Britain’s Katy Whitfield finished second with the Larisa in third and Keri-Anne in fourth.’

The first half of men’s race was led by long-distance specialist Alexander Studzinski of Germany who built up a ten-meter gap between him and the chase pack.

Steve summarizes, ‘It looked like an impossibility that Alexander was ever going to lose, but Daniil Serebrennikov of Russia swam the perfect race and timed his move flawlessly, pushing ahead for just one [last] metre of the race to give Daniil his second victory in the British Gas Great Swim four-part series. Much to the delight of the home crowd, British junior swimmer Tom Allen finished hin third.’

But, more importantly, 6,000 other swimmers entered the event with the world-class swimmers in only the second year of the event.

‘The Great Swim brand has created a series of events for people to get excited about,’ said Steve. ‘My personal hope is that these mass participation open water swimming events will one day be just as popular and successful as their Great Run counterparts.’

Elite Women’s Results:
1. Nadine Pastor (GER) 18.14
2. Katy Whitfield (GBR) 18.15
3. Larisa Ilchenko (RUS) 18.16

Elite Men’s Results:
1. Daniil Serebrennikov (RUS) 16.23
2. Alexander Studzinski (GER) 16.23
3. Tom Allen (GBR) 16.26

The event will be televised in Great Britain in the fall on Channel 4.

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Dorney Lake is ideal for open water swimming and will be the rowing venue for the 2012 London Olympics and the Paralymic Games 2012.

Plus, the goodie bags are rumored to be cool…swim fast and get your’s.

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Photo is from the duo’s 2007 50-mile Lake District Long Distance Swim Challenge.

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Readers tuning in hoping for a picture of me bathing in Brixham Harbour will, I’m afraid, be sadly disappointed.

I think all right minded people would agree that bathing in Brixham Harbour should be severely frowned upon. But it is the illegality of the ‘attempted bathing’ that presents one of the great moral issues of our time. One imagines that such bathing attempts might fail for various reasons - ill fitting bathing costume, inability to find a suitable locker for valuables, the presence of green slime that only became apparent upon scaling the harbour wall, etc.

My travelling companion was vehement that such attempts should be outlawed in the same way that waving a gun around in a bank is not really the done thing. But I am of the school of thought that says that failed bathing attempts should be allowed for the amusement of the general public, as long as they do not pass that thin line between ‘attempted bathing’ and ‘bathing’.

What do you think? I have added a poll (left) in order to test the mind of the international community on this matter.

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They have been told they may only swim widths of the pool as it makes it easier for lifeguards to ensure their safety.

Infuriated regular swimmers say the new rules are a clear indication that Britain is gripped by ‘health and safety insanity.’

The move was introduced at Dagenham Swimming Pool in Essex which has been popular with all age ranges since it was opened in the 1960s.

Bosses at the pool say it is easier for lifeguards to keep an eye on people if they are swimming widths rather than lengths.

But Dean Bradford, 33, who has used the pool for more than 20 years, said the ban of swimming lengths was a farce and would impact on young and old alike.

He said: ‘A lot of elderly people swim lengths of the pool to maintain their stamina and health and young people swim lengths to become better swimmers.”