Londoners swim next to skyscrapers at new venue

STORY: Plans to turn Middle Dock, a 220-year-old dock, into a place for swimmers has been in the works for the last six months.

The Canary Wharf Group worked with Canal & River Trust for the project, which is being run by operators Love Open Water and supported by the National Open Water Coaching Association (NOWCA).

‘’It’s great that we have been able to open up this space the whole idea is we’re trying to show people that you can swim in an urban environment but also teach them how to do it safely as well,’’ Chess Roffe Ridgard, a development officer at NOWCA, told Reuters as she signed swimmers in for their sessions.

The launch comes as weather service the Met Office has issued a series of alerts, including a red warning, which their website says is for '‘exceptional heat.'’ They say temperatures could reach over 104 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of England next week.