Knaresborough Lido could hardly look more inviting. The sun is out, the school holidays are in full swing and children are splashing about and squealing with joy.

It’s difficult to think of a better — or cheaper — way to amuse the kids than this picturesque spot on the River Nidd.

But while families soak up the sun, three volunteers are walking along the bank taking water samples a week after the reading for the faecal bacteria E. coli here was found to be 10 times above the level deemed adequate.

We went along yesterday to find out more about the testing — and to speak to lido lovers about the risk.

Sarah Sedcole said it was one of her favourite places to bring son Ted. 

Sarah is a wild swimmer and well aware of the risks. When she swims here, she keeps her head above water and does breaststroke. In less polluted rivers she will swim front crawl with her head down. She says:

'The situation is atrocious' 

Liam and Jo, a couple from Kirk Deighton, were less sure. They regularly walk their dog at the lido but say they wouldn’t enter the water. Liam says:

The 140-acre Lido Leisure Park, owned by Meridian Parks, has hundreds of holiday homes alongside the river. Its website currently lists homes ranging from £20,000 to £140,000 for sale.

One home is owned by Val Denny and her family, who regularly visit from Halifax. They were with grandchildren yesterday. We asked if they were concerned about the water. Val agreed it was a case of being sensible.

Nidd Action Group volunteers are testing the water at four different points at the Lido every day this week.

The Environment Agency has been conducting weekly tests since the government designated the lido and 27 other sites bathing water status in May. This Environment Agency tests will continue until September and will have to come up with a plan if the results aren’t good, which appears likely.

Ten of 12 tests so far have discovered E. coli levels above 900 colony forming units per 100 millilitres of water. Anything above 900 cfus is classed as inadequate.

But there is doubt over whether the Environment Agency testing and subsequent plan will lead to significant changes, especially in the wake of funding cuts for the non-departmental body has been reduced.

What’s more, the data so far makes little sense, veering sharply from week to week. Last week’s 9,300 cfu reading was followed by 350 this week.

Nidd Action Group hopes its citizen scientist testing, which is being replicated at all 28 new bathing water sites this week as part of a national initiative by the environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage will provide a more comprehensive picture.

By testing for phosphates and nitrates as well as 60 pharmaceutical products, it hopes to build up a picture of what’s causing it. Human sewage, animal waste and chemicals are all factors, but the extent of each one is unknown.

Amanda Evans, the action group treasurer who lives in Goldsborough, said she went to a pharmacy in Knaresborough to collect syringes for the tests.

Amanda and fellow testers David Clayden, chair of Nidd Action Group, and Charlotte Simons, a senior project manager at Pateley Bridge-based Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, all highlight concerns about the lack of signage warning bathers about pollution levels.

Their samples will be analysed in labs at York University and collated alongside the results from other bathing water sites.

David says:

Hopefully by next year ,bathers will have a clearer picture of the state of the Nidd. But whether it will — or should — prevent them from having such wonderful fun at the lido remains to be seen,