RESIDENTS committed to resurrecting a civic hall destroyed by fire are facing an anxious wait to see if a £1.3million grant bid has been successful.

The Community Leisure Association of Whitworth (CLAW), formed to raise funds to revamp Whitworth Swimming Pool after it was threatened with closure, has asked for cash from Sport England.

The group expects to find out if they have won the cash to build a new community building and sports facilities on the Whitworth Civic Hall site at the end of the month.

Rossendale Council has already sent a letter of support, although it is investigating the possibility of rebuilding the facility on another site in the town.

Council leader, Coun David Hancock, said: "We want to see that service in Whitworth and by looking at other potential sites we are trying to come up with the best solution for everybody.

"The Audit Commission is reviewing everything we.

"We have to make sure that we have looked at all the alternatives before we can commit the council's money to such a big scheme.

"We are working closely with CLAW and are meeting with them on a regular basis to reach a point where we can say that we are fully committed to the proposals being developed."

The council, which owned the building, is also still waiting to find out how much insurance money it will get.

This grant will be put back into the rebuilding of the civic hall.

The two-storey building was gutted by a fierce blaze sparked by an electrical fault in December.

The council-owned hall was run by CLAW since 2000.

It had been identified by Rossendale Council as one of five leisure facilities in the area to be axed as part of cost-cutting measures.