Lido and churchyard up for heritage award

Two London landmarks have been short-listed for a national heritage award.

Brockwell Lido and St John-at-Hackney churchyard gardens are in the running to be named the country's favourite Lottery-funded attraction and win £2,000.

The 45-metre Olympic-size outdoor pool and its artdeco buildings were saved from demolition after five years of fundraising and a £500,000 Lottery grant.

The pool, which first opened in 1937 and is known as "Brixton Beach", is one of 60 lidos in London and was a popular and cheap summer holiday destination until spiralling running costs and decline during the Eighties and Nineties saw it almost bulldozed in 2003.

Paul Maier, who manages the lido, said: "If we win, the £2,000 will be ploughed into our education programme where youngsters learn about history and water safety."

The gardens in the grounds of St John were overhauled after a £1.7million Lottery grant in 2004. They date to the 12th century and include St Augustine's Tower, which is Grade I-listed and Hackney's oldest building.