“No more skinned bellies and elbows,” exulted one.

Family and friends watched as young and adult underwater hockey players checked out the work which cost $225,000 and took 20 weeks, from mid-June until the end of October.

Club vice-president Scott Digney confirmed the old concrete surface had caused injuries and said it also rapidly abraded players’ gloves and pucks. Equipment which formerly had lasted only a few weeks would now last three years, he declared. “We have been going to Perth three times a fortnight to play on tiles at Belmont,” Mr Digney said.

Now the club’s competitors would be playing on a local surface as good as any in the world.

Water started pouring into the pool the next day. The deep end was full by lunchtime.

Yesterday Collie Shire Council chief executive Jason Whiteaker said the pool was now full but the water needed further treatment before it was safe to use. “The pool manager is preparing the pool in order to open to the public in late November. Last year the pool opened to the public on November 10.”