The Hampstead Heath bathing ponds have reopened after being closed for a week following the flash-floods that hit NW3.

The ponds were shut while the City of London Corporation (CoLC), Thames Water and the Environment Agency made sure that the freak weather event had not led to pollution of any kind.

The Men's and Ladies' Ponds were back open on Tuesday July 20, with the Mixed Pond following suit on Wednesday.

A CoLC spokesperson said: “The Bathing Ponds were temporarily closed, following heavy rainfall on 12 July. Daily water quality testing has been undertaken since the storm event and the Bathing Ponds now meet the classification for inland bathing waters and are safe for swimming to resume."

Although signage at the Ponds suggested there had been "foul water sewers surcharging in the vicinity", Thames Water confirmed no sewage had contaminated the water.

A spokesperson said: "The water quality at the bathing ponds has been independently tested and there is no evidence of sewage contamination."