Young and old swimmers can now use Medway's pools for free - providing they live in the borough and can prove they meet age restrictions.

It follows a decision by the government to offer £305,000 to cover admission charges and maintenance costs.

But the scheme - which will give free swimming for under 16s and the over 60s - would not have gone ahead until NHS Medway provided an additional £76,273 to cover the first three months of the year.

The scheme, as reported previously in the Medway Messenger, will continue for two years, but will then depend on future Whitehall funding after April 2011.