Former Olympian denies vandalising Washington Reflecting Pool after arrest

A former US Olympian arrested for allegedly vandalising the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC is denying he did anything wrong.David "Davey" Hearn, 67, was detained by the pool's edge on Friday as he was finishing a long bike ride.Hearn told BBC News that he had removed his cycling glove to simply touch a long strip of rubbery material which appeared to have "delaminated" from the bottom of the pool, when he was stopped by US Park Police and National Guard troops. The champion canoeist is now facing a misdemeanour charge of destruction of government property.The Reflecting Pool has just undergone a multi-million dollar resealing and painting project, but already the paint appears to be peeling off.President Donald Trump has championed the pool's makeover as part of his bid to beautify the US capital ahead of America's 250th birthday celebrations. The historic Reflecting Pool, stretching 2,030ft (619m) between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has long been beset by leaks, structural deterioration, faulty pipes, algae growth and bird droppings.But despite the refurbishment, which cost an estimated $13m (£9.8m), the pool has continued to be plagued by algae and more recently the paint problems, which have seen media and park visitors document pieces of the new blue paint peeling off from the bottom of the pool.