CHILDREN flocked to Caldicot Leisure Centre to meet a special Valentine's Day visitor – a mermaid.

Young swimmers lined up to have underwater photos taken with Viktoria Edes who donned a mermaid costume.

Viktoria, who is originally from Hungary but is currently studying education at Cardiff University, said she enjoyed dressing as a mermaid.

She said: "It's been really good at Caldicot, the children were mesmerised."

She hopes to return to Caldicot to be able to offer mermaid birthday parties.

Ian Saunders, of Monmouthshire Council's leisure department, said: "It has been a fantastic success.

"We are always trying to think of innovative things to bring children into the centre."

The children appeared to greatly enjoy the encounter with a mermaid despite the lack of one promised ingredient. Staff at the leisure centre were hoping to turn the water pink but the colouring chemical did not take.