Victoria Baths is making a splash to mark ten years since it captured the heart of the nation, winning the first series of the BBC Restoration show back in 2003.

 A month of celebratory events held throughout September will showcase the progress made over the last decade and see the gala pool filled with 86,000 gallons of water for a performance by renowned synchronised swimming group, Aquabatix. A new stained glass window is also set to be revealed and 'the world's most ambitious cellist' Matthew Barley will be performing from the depths of the gala pool.

First opened in 1906, the grandeur of Victoria Baths with its three vast pools, marble-clad Turkish baths, spectacular stained glass, deep green tiling and mosaic floors with leaping fish, cannot fail to capture the imagination. Residents tied to the building's history and its legacy as a breeding ground for swimming champions fought fiercely to defend it from demolition when it closed in 1993.

 With funds awarded from the BBC Restorationprogramme in 2003 and including support given from the Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage, £5million has been spent to restore much of the frontage of the building, including the colourful stained glass windows and the glass roof of the gala pool. The vision for the future is to reopen the Turkish baths and one of the three pools for the public to enjoy once again.