Crowds once gathered to watch dolphin shows at a Merseyside swimming baths.
Decades ago, dolphin shows would tour the UK bringing the marine animals to various locations. In Merseyside, the chosen venue was Guinea Gap Swimming Baths in Seacombe, Wallasey.
This was the pool of choice in the 70s as it wasn't a chlorine pool and used sea water instead. The shows at the time were seen as a fun event for all the family.
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In an article in the Liverpool ECHO from Thursday, January 23, 1975 the show was dubbed as "sheer unadulterated entertainment" and it was said that the dolphins, "like their audiences, never stop[ped] smiling". The shows would usually be put on for a week, with sometimes four in a day.
It was said over 10,000 people will have seen the displays put on by the dolphins and their trainers.
David Lee, who was at the time Wirral Council's 'publicity chief' said: "The dolphins are becoming something of a tradition at the baths, and this is the third year we have staged their shows. We're very lucky in having a sea-water pool, it suits them perfectly.
"Most other baths have to de-chlorinate the water and even then there might not be enough salt for the dolphins."
However, there was some drama at the shows. In 1973, two-year-old Peter Connor, from Waterloo, fell into the pool and had to be rescued by 16-year-old John Hughes, from the Wirral.
Peter's mum, Julia, spoke to the ECHO and said: "I was looking at the dolphin show and the next minute Peter was in the water. He was shivering a little when brought out, but quickly recovered."
John's dad Leslie said he had alerted his son when he realised there was a toddler in the water and John leapt into the pool "without hesitation".
In 1975, the RSPCA stepped up its pressure on local authorities to ban dolphin shows after two of the dolphins who performed at Guinea Gap died. One at the building and the other on the way back to Margate where they were kept.
The RSPCA said at the time: "We have always been opposed to circuses and dolphin shows. We are particularly opposed to the transportation of aquatic mammals. We think it should be stopped immediately.
"A lot of local authorities won't allow circuses on their land, if they contain performing animals. We would like to see all local authorities ban the use of pools for dolphin circuses."
This was the last dolphin show in Wirral.
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