E coli levels rise more than 1,000% at Serpentine Lido

But the water quality is still rated sufficient’ for swimmers

- HOLLY EVANS

One of London’s most popular outdoor swimming spots has seen a 1,188.8 per cent surge in a strain of bacteria that can cause life-threatening infections and severe food poisoning.

New research has revealed that the levels of E coli in Hyde Park’s Serpentine Lido dramatically increased between 2023 and 2024, while samples taken at Hampstead Heath’s mixed pond also increased by 230 per cent during the same period.

E coli is a type of bacteria that lives in the intestines of humans and can cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fever and can lead to kidney failure.

The figures come after wild swimming has surged in popularity across the UK since the Covid-19 pandemic, but growing concerns have emerged over its safety due to the polluted nature of our waters.