DOZENS of prize winning swimmers have been reunited with the trophies they won at Grange Lido a generation ago.

The trophies were discovered in a cellar under the town’s Victoria Hall where they have been gathering dust since the pool closed in 199 and were revealed at an exhibition organised by the Save Grange Lido (SGL) group, who are campaigning for the currently derelict facility to reopen.

The trophies date back to the 1940s and have a long lists of winners engraved on them, many from the once thriving Grange Swimming Club.

“It was great to see the trophies and it brought back many happy memories,” said Chris Melling-Sawicki, who won a trophy at a swimming gala at the Lido in the 1990s.

And swimming teacher Merryll Hunter was a prolific winner at Grange swimming galas and recalled happy times at the lido.

“In the summer we used to come down from Cartmel on bikes,” she said.

“It was just a nice place to be and get lots of ice creams.

“With school we had swimming galas at the lido and as a result I became a member of Grange Swimming Club and I was nearly always a winner.”

Bill Millburn was the captain of Grange men’s swimming and water polo teams in the late 50s and early 60s.

“I came along to the open day to show the team some black and white photos of the team winning and lo and behold there were the same trophies on display that I was holding in the pictures some 60 years ago,” he said.

“It brought back so many great memories. I hope future generations of swimmers get the chance to compete in the pool at Grange.”

Save Grange Lido are appealing for any winners from swimming galas at the Lido to contact them to see if they can find their name engraved on a trophy or shield in the collection.

“It was amazing to reunite these trophies with their winners after all these years,” said SGL chair Phil Bradby

“Hopefully we can start adding new names to the winner’s role call when the pool is re-opened.”