A slithery bathtub left me in hot water

WHEN my wife Julia and I moved into our first home in the 1980s, we immediately started redecorating it from top to bottom.

We decided to replace the bath with a brand new plastic one. We chose one from a local store and it was duly delivered. After preparing the walls, tiling and painting, I put the bath into position and plumbed it in. As all this took a few days to complete, Julia suggested that as a reward I should be the one to christen the bath. I turned on the hot tap and filled the tub with enough water to immerse my aching body. I lowered myself into the luxuriously scented suds and relaxed.

It was bliss, but as I lay there wallowing, I moved my legs and a very odd sensation began to occur. It was the same when I moved my arms. Unbeknown to me, when a new bath is manufactured, it is sprayed with a protective plastic coating.

There had been no mention of this on the paperwork and no indication on the bath that I could peel it off. The hot water had made it reveal its secret. I felt like a snake shedding its skin!