The programme, which aims to utilise holiday time to increase swimming proficiency, has been launched across 13 of the travel giant’s Tui Family Life resorts in the Mediterranean and Canary Islands.

It follows research by Thomson which claimed a fifth of children aged 11 are unable to swim the government target 25m and a quarter of British parents can only swim 15m or less without stopping.

Adlington, who represented Britain at both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London games, officially launched the swim scheme at the Tui Family Life Bellevue Resort in Croatia last week with a special appearance as a swim coach.

The classes will run throughout July and August and feature 45-minute sessions for two age groups of children between 4-7 and 7-9 years old.

Thomson said its Tui Family Life swimming coaches were offering parents a “two week guarantee” pledging that children who attend 10 sessions over the period would go home able to swim 10m.

Adlington said: “I want to see every child in the UK able to swim 25m by the time they leave primary school and using holiday pool time to build skills is a perfect way to achieve that. What’s more, a resort swimming pool makes for a really positive learning environment. It’s informal, totally relaxed and it’s all about having fun.

“Away from the swim sessions, which themselves are great fun, the kids will naturally continue building their skills - but they just won’t realise it. I remember how much time I spent in the water on holiday playing around. It naturally builds confidence and is also a great way to bring families together.”