EAST Lancashire swim fans will be keeping their fins crossed as leisure chiefs finalise plans for a £2.5million educational swimming centre this week.

Ambitious proposals are being finalised by Rossendale Council's acting leisure officer Ken Claxon and sports development officer Ibby Khan.

The bid, which must be finished and submitted by Thursday, will be presented to the National Lottery Sport England fund.

The £2.5million plan involves developing land near to Bacup Leisure Hall in Burnley Road, Bacup, to create a 25m by 9m pool, a second small training pool and educational theory area for life saving and first aid teaching.

A fitness suite is also proposed for the site at an additional cost.

Ibby said: "We have been instructed by the council to submit an application for funding for swimming facilities in Bacup connected to the leisure hall site.

"The aim is for the site to become an accredited educational centre." Ibby said there were various educational centres in the North West, including Blackburn's Daisyfield Baths which offers training.