Police with tasers caught a group of urban explorers inside the closed down Wet n Wild waterpark in North Shields.

Officers were called to the former leisure centre site on May 3 after reports of suspicious activity going on inside the building.

The site first opened in 1993 and became a popular spot for families across the region with a host of slides and attractions for all ages. It was the largest indoor water park in the UK when it opened.

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But after years of decline the waterpark shut off the chutes in 2020.

Urban explorers who explore derelict buildings made their way into the former waterpark earlier this month and captured the emptied pool and sad state of the former family fun spot.

Police, including officers with tasers, escorted four men out of the building.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Just after 8pm on Wednesday, May 3, police received a report of suspicious activity at Wet N Wild Swimming Baths, on Rotary Way, North Shields.

“Police attended, and four males were escorted from the premises.”

In 2020 the site’s operators Serco Leisure released a statement saying the site would not be reopening, and that an announcement would be made in due course about the building’s future.

It read: “Wet n Wild will be not re-opening this year. We realise this will come as disappointing news to many people out there, and this has been a difficult decision to make.

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“We are currently reviewing the future use of the site and will make another announcement regarding that in due course.”

However, the future of the building remains uncertain with no announcement made since.

Wet n Wild previously closed in 2013 when its former operator went into administration.

Serco Leisure took over the site in 2014 and invested in the venue before reopening with a refurbished reception, café, children’s area and behind the scenes revamp to the boiler and plant systems.

But by 2020 the firm said the venue was no longer financially viable.

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Speaking at the time Simon Bailey, managing director at Serco Leisure, said: “I know the special place that Wet n Wild holds in the hearts of people in North Shields and the wider region and recognise that this announcement will come as a disappointment to many.

“Since taking over operation of the waterpark in 2014, Serco Leisure has explored every avenue to make the park a viable operation but regrettably we cannot continue to sustain the level of financial losses that we are experiencing.

“This has forced us to make the difficult and regrettable decision not to reopen in 2020, while we consider all options for the future of the site.”