Historic Scotland has awarded category A-listed status to the Tarlair outdoor seaside swimming pool near Aberdeenshire.

Aberdeenshire Council's environmental planner, Richard Leith, said: “The fact Tarlair has been recognised as a national treasure by Historic Scotland presents the council, as owner, with a unique opportunity to examine the potential to have it redeveloped as a major tourism/cultural related business.

“It could potentially provide a similar level of economic regeneration for this part of the Moray Firth coast, as the 'Tate St Ives' did for Cornwall.”

The swimming pool plus paddling pool, boating pool and tea pavilion were built in 1930 but have been out of use since 1995.

Architect John C Miller designed the pool’s outer wall to be fractionally below high tide level, so that waves rolled in over the edge. It also meant the pool was refilled with clean water twice a day.