Adlington pool heated naturally

The refurbished facility is due to open in January 2010

Work has started on an eco-friendly heating system at the Nottinghamshire pool where Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington learned to swim.

A ground source heat pump is being installed at the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre, formerly known as Sherwood Baths, in Mansfield Woodhouse.

Water pumped 125m underground is warmed by the earth, then used to heat the pool.

The centre is due to reopen in January 2010 after a £5m revamp.

Coal boilers

The complex, built in 1934, originally housed the pithead baths for Sherwood Colliery as well as a swimming pool.

Previously the water was heated by coal boilers.

Councillor Eddie Smith said: "We were using coal which was very heavy in terms of its C02 emissions and we wanted to address that issue, so this is an absolutely wonderful way of doing it."

The new facility will include an elite athlete training pool and the main pool will increase in size from four lanes to six lanes.

Rebecca Adlington, who won gold in the 400m and 800m freestyle events in Beijing last year, learned to swim at the baths at the age of six before being spotted by talent scouts and was moved to the Nova Mansfield Development Squad.