Sadly now firmly "banned" from the campsites. We take a rose tinted retrospective look at what used to be one of the great pleasures of Le mans camping!

The Beermountain squad appointed their first paddling Pool Safety Officer back in 1996, however, owing to logistics, the team had been without a pool since our Logistics Manager slept in the last one and nearly drowned back in 1998.

2002 saw the addition of a brand new pool and then another one in 2004 - perfect for the "scorchio" climate of Sarthe!

We talked to Mr Disco, the Beermountain Paddling Pool Safety Officer, about his advice for reaching paddling pool nirvana.

We've listed some of his key tips:

• Forget buying a pool in the UK - Le Mans Carrefour is the European centre of paddling pool excellence - they have a warehouse full of them. Choose carefully based on your team's needs - big pools demand stronger swimmers. As a minimum go for the "Junior" models starting at about £50 - they are good enough to last a couple of races if well looked after. £150 buys you something much more ambitious though...
• Consider how long it's going to take to fill - around 4 hours for even a modest one via a standard hose
• If you plan on using the pool to cool off several times a day, you need to consider health & hygiene - chlorine tablets and a filter to keep the water in good condition. A cover is also good to put on overnight.
• Appoint a Safety Officer and give him a whistle and a deck chair (see our rules below)
• Don't forget to pack up before you dismantle the pool - ours goes like the Mohne Dam hit by a bouncing bomb, and anything in it's way is going to get wet
• Step ladder and planks make great diving boards
• Children's floating accessories keep the team amused - rings, inflatable animals etc
• Finally, don't be the one to return to base camp with a large and uncompleted food shopping list, and an empty car apart from the pool and a sheepish grin - size isn't everything, so don't let this go to your head!

Consider your fill time carefully -

Buzz: "How long do you think this one will take Victor?"

Swiss: "About 6 days - maybe I could get a team of lackeys with buckets to do it?"

Employ a team to build the pool and supervise from the shade of your tent - try and get a clean base with no sharp objects if you can. A slight slope isn't the end of the world - you get a shallow and a deep end. Only the brave pitch their tents next to a poolside view!

Your Paddling Pool Safety Officer is a key member of the management team - treat him with the respect he deserves...

No diving in the shallow end, Toady!

As you may be the paddling pool envy of your campsite, watch out for swimmers without a ticket - severe penalties should be enforced at all times!

When it's time to pack up, consider the direction of the likely flood and plan accordingly. Pack the pool up carefully and it will serve you faithfully for many Le Mans to come!

The Beermountain Pool Rules

• No diving, no ducking, no bombing
• The Barman will only give you a cold beer when you have totally immersed yourself - no paddling about like a big girl's blouse
• No backstroke whilst anyone else is in the pool
• No heavy petting, even with nearby Nurses
• Obey the directions of the Paddling Pool Safety Officer at all times

If you have any thoughts or observations from your own pool experiences, please let us know!