A sudden spinal injury six years ago changed Judith Marshall’s life.

The 73-year-old, who lives in Partick, was a professional tennis player who also taught the sport in Spain.

Judith was planning to play in some Masters tennis tournaments around Europe when, she explains, “I was just practising and my legs stopped working.”

She adds: “I was rushed to hospital and they discovered that a disc had moved and partly severed my spinal cord.

“They also discovered that I had wear and tear at the top of my spine and consequently, I’m in a wheelchair.”

Judith and her daughter Kareena (Image: Robert Perry/Newsquest)

Judith is one of a group of keen swimmers around Glasgow benefitting from an innovative new lift which has been added to Scotstoun’s pool.

Poolpod is designed to help people who have mobility challenges, offering a dignified and independent way to enter and exit swimming pools. It can also be used by parents with young babies, and anyone who finds steps into the pool difficult.

Developed with support from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Poolpod, which has also been implemented at Bellahouston and Tollcross, aims to promote inclusivity and provide equal access to swimming for all patrons.

It comes as Glasgow prepares to welcome the biggest para-sport programme in Commonwealth Games history as host city of the 2026 event.

(Image: Robert Perry/Newsquest)

Judith is a Poolpod fan, she says.

“It’s brilliant, my whole quality of life has improved because I didn’t like the hoist and from my point of view, with a spinal injury, I had pain,” she says.

“There was no way I was going to continue trying to swim or even get in the pool with the hoist. With the pod, I don’t feel any pain at all. I just go down, in my wheelchair, and with some help I float off my chair into the water.”

(Image: Robert Perry/Newsquest)

Judith adds: “Just by lying back, with someone supporting me, I was able to start kicking my legs and the feeling was unbelievable. It’s really a miracle.

“One of the things I’ve learned being disabled is that there are so many things you’re not in control of in your life.

“With the pod, it’s nice to know what I do will determine what happens to me. I mean, that’s just a small thing, but you know it’s all the small things, when they build up, that really give you a better quality of life.”

(Image: Robert Perry/Newsquest)

David Seager, lead sport and physical activity coach with Glasgow Life, said: “At Glasgow Life, we believe sport and physical activity should be part of everyday life and open to everyone.

“That’s why we’re so pleased to have Poolpod at Glasgow Club Scotstoun, Bellahouston and Tollcross – it’s a brilliant innovation that gives people with limited mobility dignified, independent access to our swimming pools.”

READ NEXT:

He added: “Everyone can access the pool with the pod, kids, adults, amputees, wheelchair users. There is no barrier to getting in the water.

“It is already making a positive difference for customers. More people are hearing about it and joining our classes, but we’ve always got room for more.”

Glasgow Life’s disability sports programme includes specialist sessions, disability multi-sports for children and young people aged from five to 15, adult disability swimming lessons and gym sessions, and inclusive community classes across the city in everything from boccia and football to basketball and cycling.

Glasgow 2026 will be the most inclusive Games ever staged, with 47 medal events across six sports: para athletics, para swimming, para cycling, para bowls, para powerlifting and integrated para wheelchair basketball events.