This water baby has baffled experts with her ability to swim more than 14ft (four metres) unaided and without armbands at the age of 17 months.

Proud dad Christian, 39, began taking him to the local pool at the age of eight weeks like he did with the rest of his children.

But the industrial maintenance roofer was shocked when he discovered Olly's ability to paddle around the pool without his help so young.

He has eclipsed his sister, Evie, who could swim six metres, but not until she was 22-months-old.

Olly can swim almost half the width of the pool without help. He also enjoys jumping in from the side and can pull himself out of the water.

Christian said Olly was swimming before he was walking and his ability in the pool has earned him respect from all the lifeguards at Hengrove Leisure Centre in Bristol.

He said: “Olly can do about four or five metres on his own, he’s pretty good at it.

“We go to the pool three or four times a week and generally spend half an hour swimming and half an hour messing about.

“It’s just about safety really.”

“I always think, ‘what would happen if one of my children fell into a lake or a pond’?

“They wouldn’t have armbands with them, so I think it’s really important that they know what to do in the water.

“I’ve never given any of my children armbands, I’ve never seen the need for them.”

Christian said that although Olly has not yet mastered any strokes he makes sure he swims for at least half an hour every session.

*Video filmed 19th October 2015.