Liam Tandy’s swimming pool and waterslide were “a bit of a secret” until a woman staying in an AirBnB nearby in Wythenshawe, Manchester took a video and posted it on TikTok
A dad who installed a 12ft pool in his garden before fitting a waterslide has gone viral.
Liam Tandy has amassed hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok alone after sharing clips, which showed his son flying down the slide and splash land in the pool – right on his back patio in Wythenshawe, Manchester. The 40-year-old dad has had the pool since 2024 and half-jokingly put the decision down to having ADHD.
“That’s just how I am, once I get an idea in my head, I just have to have it,” he told The Manchester Evening News. When he returned from a summer holiday, Liam found he did not want to leave the poolside fun behind.
And this week, with temperatures exceeding 30C, Liam and his family have been able to cool off and make a splash in the water. The father said it makes his children happy.
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He said: “I had just moved into a new house and it was my first time having a garden. I thought, I want my own pool at home. I started looking online before the holiday even ended.”
He flattened most of his back garden to install the 12ft by 24ft pool, which cost an estimated £1,000, and added a former playground slide that he found on eBay. A mechanic by trade, Liam also built a platform over the garage roof, which he attached a slide to.
“I don’t see it as unsafe, I’ve made it easy to get up there and put netting around the sides,” he said. “I’ve spoken to my neighbours and they don’t have an issue with it. As long as my kids are happy, I’m happy.”
The pool has a filter and Liam treats the water using chlorine. Speaking about his water bill, Liam said: “Let’s not talk about the costs.” He said “went a bit mad” when another TikTok user shared a video of the pool.
Liam added: “She was staying in an AirBnB round the corner and took a video from her window. It had been a bit of a secret until then. Now it’s gone viral I am expecting a visit from the council. But it’s a temporary structure and I can have it down in an hour.”
With the arrival of the year’s first proper heatwave and the beginning of May half term, Liam’s children and their friends flock around the pool. He said: “I kind of live through my children, I have three and I know how fast it goes.
“They’re only young once and once they’re grown up you don’t get that time back. And the love and support and positivity I have had has been absolutely amazing. It is nice to get credit as a dad cause I don’t think we get credit or appreciated very often. I go above and beyond for my kids.”
