In pictures: The lost swimming pools of a Scottish childhood

The old swimming pool at Montrose, which was a fixture of the town for 50 years. PIC: Contributed.

There was nothing like a day at the pool where hours could be lost mucking around with friends or learning a stroke or two.

The smell of chlorine is enough to take your right back to the days of wrinkly fingers, coloured rubber wristbands and that feeling of dread climbing up to the top diving board as all your pals looked on.

When flumes arrived at the bigger pools in the 1980s it was impossible to imagine ever having more fun with the siren going off to announce the start of the wave machine possibly the most exciting sound of all.

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After all that hard work, a bag of chips on the way home was the best treat ever.

A large number of 20th Century swimming pools closed down as the ageing kit became too expensive to run. Outdoor baths fell out of favour when holidays in the sun became cheaper.

Modern replacements were built - but the memories of the old pools live on.