A father from Wythenshawe, Manchester, has gone viral after installing a 12ft pool and waterslide in his back garden. Liam Tandy, 40, shared clips on TikTok showing his son zooming down the slide into the pool, amassing hundreds of thousands of views.
Liam, a mechanic, flattened most of his garden to install the 12ft by 24ft pool, which cost around £1,000. He added a former playground slide found on eBay and built a platform over his garage roof to attach it. 'I don't see it as unsafe,' he said. 'I've made it easy to get up there and put netting around the sides.'
The father said he got the idea after returning from a summer holiday and not wanting the fun to end. 'I had just moved into a new house and it was my first time having a garden. I thought, I want my own pool at home,' he told the Manchester Evening News. He half-jokingly attributed the decision to having ADHD.
With temperatures exceeding 30°C this week, Liam and his family have been cooling off in the pool. He treats the water with chlorine and uses a filter. When asked about his water bill, he said: 'Let's not talk about the costs.'
Liam said he has spoken to neighbours who have no issue with the pool. However, after a TikTok user staying nearby shared a video, he expects a visit from the council. 'But it's a temporary structure and I can have it down in an hour,' he added.
Liam, who has three children, said he lives through them and wants to make memories. 'They're only young once... I go above and beyond for my kids,' he said.
