A CAMPAIGNER desperate to save Padiham Pool has warned residents to "use it, or lose it."

Carol Stinton, 62, who regular swims at the leisure centre and is leading the campaign to keep it open, said: "It is easy for people to sign their name on a petition, but they also need to use the facilities.

"If no one uses it, that gives the council the perfect excuse to close it down."

She was speaking after it was revealed that more than 8,000 people had signed a petition, launched in October, to ensure that the town has a swimming pool.

The plea to Burnley Council to ensure the town doesn't lose pool facilities has been backed by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

Fears over the pool's future were sparked following a review of Burnley borough's three main centres -- the Thompson Centre, Padiham Leisure Centre and Gannow Pool -- by Burnley Council in August.

The centres currently cost the council £780,000 a year in subsidy and are in decline in terms of user numbers and appearance. Maintaining them with no improvements would cost £8million over the next 20 years.

Town Hall leisure chiefs warned that standing still was not an option and has put various options out to public consultation. These range from the refurbishment of all three centres to building new pools in local schools or closing all three and building a new Burnley town centre facility.

Carol, a magistrate and former town councillor, said she was the only one in the pool when she went for a swim on December 23.

She said: "It was free to children during the Christmas holidays and yet it was empty -- I find that so disappointing. If people want to fight to keep these facilities open it is vital that they show their support by using them.

"I think the huge number of signatures on the petition sends an important message to the council about how people feel.

"But I would urge those who have signed it, if they are serious about keeping these facilities open, to keep the pressure on the council, write to your councillors, turn up to meetings about the issue and, most importantly, use the pool, or lose it."

Carol, of Church Street, who worked as a cashier at the Park Road pool when it opened 30 years ago, added: "If Padiham loses its swimming pool people will have to travel at least four miles to the nearest, in either Accrington or Burnley. At the moment residents can walk to the pool in minutes."