ONE of Oxford’s biggest toy retailers has completely sold out of paddling pools.

Two hours after receiving a delivery on Wednesday, all pools except tiny toddler pools at Toys R Us in Botley Road had been sold.

And by Friday all pools — and any sand pits that could double up as paddling pools — were gone.

But one woman has found her own solution.

Laura Sanders, 23, a nurse at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital, said: “I had been around and had a look to see if I could buy one anywhere and everywhere had sold out.

“My friend Roxy Williams and I had to be a bit creative so we decided to try and build a pool ourselves.”

After buying plastic sheeting, the next task was to find something sturdy to form the edge of the pool.

Miss Sanders said: “We drove around and saw a sign saying hay bales for sale, so we picked up a few in a very small car, brought them home and put it together and it actually works.”

Ash Cox, manager at the Botley Road Toys R Us, said he was receiving about 40 to 50 queries from customers every day asking for paddling pools — and about double that last week. He said: “Every retailer is probably in the same situation, fighting for whatever stock there is.”

Yesterday was expected to be the hottest day of the year so far — but the weather is expected to break this week, with hot muggy weather interspersed with thunderstorms.