It might have three names, but one name eludes the volunteers and passionate conservationists who have been looking after this hidden gem in Radstock.

They want the name of the owner of this much-loved spot hidden away in the town.

Variously known as the Radstock Fishponds, Snail's Brook and more commonly - and literally - the Miners' Pool - the question over ownership in spite of years of hunting - still remains.

The Miners' Pool is so named because it once was where those toiling underground came to wash, and later it became one of the few open air swimming pools where they could come to swim. Six metres deep at one end, it once boasted two diving boards and was still being regularly used in the 1930s.

It is still remarkably clean stretch of water, last dredged in February 2019 and although the band of volunteers who maintain it would prefer if visitors took their litter home - and did NOT throw things in - it is still very inviting.

Nub News went to visit this hidden gem in Radstock to hear how, now the stalwart campaigner and fundraiser for the pool, Catherine Whybrow is sadly no longer alive, they would like nothing more than, in her legacy, to rejuvenate this stunning area.

Roger Brain explained to Nub News: " Catherine was an interesting character and she liked the idea of being able to swim in here because of the history. She went to such lengths to get the site opened up.

" I would like to see it all tidied up, I would like to see a bench area where people can sit, families can come down; perhaps in a dream world perhaps a barbecue stand... the idea being to get Radstock families down here."

What is particularly sad is that a bench made by WAG (Westfield Allotment Group), in memory of Catherine has been repeatedly thrown into the pool and has now been removed.

Roger said: " The barrier to get this area regenerated is financial. First of all I would love to see this area planted so it is not just bare earth and some fences put back up so that we can mark the land from the church land. Ideally we would have a gate.

" The church have been very helpful about access, but we would want to be able to get in with a large machine in the future to clear it again, because it will silt up."

Wild life is flourishing around and in the water...with lesser spotted woodpeckers, buzzards, and crayfish, both good and bad.

But the biggest challenge for all renovations, liability insurances and access, there remains that big single question.

" It is simple as the fact we do not know who the owner is," Roger explained to Nub News. " We have gone through the land registry, we have had stories in the press to try and get people to come forward. The family mentioned on the land registry know nothing about it. The person who I think is on the land registry is now deceased. We really have run up against a problem there. "

Roger has been visiting the site for over eight years, cutting back undergrowth and picking up litter, but has never met anyone at the pool who can help answer the question.

While the group would be happy to have extra pairs of hands, they would specifically welcome someone willing to help go through all their records.

Roger said: " Somebody with administrative skills would be very useful. Because it really does need to be kept going. It is just a very pleasant spot to be - a really nice spot - but it also needs to be respected for its history - the fact it was a historical miners' pool. "

If you want to follow the story of the pool, the group for Snails Brook have a social page Here: their Facebook page

A note about wild swimming:

The Miners' Pool could be designated as a river and then you have no right to roam.

According to Nick Hayes, author of The Book of Trespass, "you are 97% likely to be trespassing if you are on, near, or by a river."

"The Crown owns the water you swim in, while the person who owns the property up to the bank is also said to own the bed of the river up to the middle.

"Therefore, if you are paddling - or swimming - over their land, not even touching it - you can still be said to be trespassing, because the law of trespass applies to airspace and waterspace above the land owned."

And any wild swimmers should also be aware that there is no insurance at all in taking to the water - they do so at their own risk.