Shocked swimmers find crocodiles in the pool

We have all considered the possibility that we might be swimming alongside someone or something a little undesirable when we visit the local pool, but people in one Australian town got the shock of their lives during a recent visit.

Most of us have had to deal with a slow-moving doggy paddler in the fast lane or even a misbehaving child who could not wait quite long enough to get to the toilet, but swimmers in Queensland were stunned when they came face to face with a number of crocodiles.

Mount Isa Aquatics was taken over by a large group of the reptiles and one swimmer had even begun her lengths before anyone realised she was not swimming alone.

Pool director Brian Rodriquez said he was told by a bather that, while they were keen not to alarm him, he needed to know that there was a single crocodile in the water.

"I jumped in with the pool scoop to get him out but then there were two, then three, then four and five. It is not every day you find little crocodiles swimming around," he explained.

Luckily, the freshwater crocodiles were still small so did not harm anyone who was using the pool. But it still gave everyone an almighty shock and some swimmers might be having nightmares even thinking about it.

"Some of the crocodiles were quite fast and didn't want to be caught. It was entertaining – but only because nobody got hurt," Mr Rodriquez added.

While the reptiles could have broken into the swimming pool by themselves, the pool director thinks it is more likely they were moved from their nest by practical jokers.

They are now due to be released back in the wild, after all nine were rounded up by a wildlife ranger.