A victorian seaside bathing machine has been returned to its former glory after spending decades as a garden shed.

Bathing machines, essentially a hut on wheels used as a mobile changing room, were snapped up by gardeners across Eastbourne after they became unfashionable among bathers earlier this century.

The town's allotments were at one stage full of them but gradually they have fallen apart or been left to rot.

Now what is believed to be Eastbourne's last surviving bathing machine, discovered at Gorringe Valley Road allotments, has been restored by the seafront-based Langham Hotel and turned into a tourist attraction.

To mark the completion of its year-long restoration, spectators on Eastbourne seafront were treated to a glimpse at the prim and proper atmosphere of Victorian beach-life at an opening ceremony yesterday.

The machine was taken down to the water, the traditional horsedrawn way, pulled by shire horse Wattie.

However, because of new shingle sea defences, Wattie had to be helped the last part of his journey by hotel staff using ropes to drag the machine to the sea.

Once at the water's edge the first bather to use the machine for about 100 years, Eastbourne entertainer Paul Jenkins, emerged from behind its doors to take a dip.

Julian Martyr, Langham Hotel manager said: "As soon as we heard about this bathing machine we thought it would be a

wonderful idea to restore

it and put it outside the hotel.

"It's part of this town's history as a resort and we wanted to officially open it in style."

Dozens of balloons were released from inside the bathing machine for a balloon race to raise money for the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Families Association.

Mayor Beryl Healy was also on hand to declare the historic machine officially open.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.