A LAST-MINUTE rescue package has saved the day for Whitworth Pool and hopefully secured the facility's future for the next three years.

At Rossendale Council's full council meeting, leisure chairman Coun Neil Smith told councillors: "The town council and the swimming club have offered some financial assistance, which goes some way to keeping the facility open. With what little funds we have, I don't envisage the pool closing in the near future."

But he said the council was still hoping to secure a longer-term future for the pool and leisure complex and talks would be held with LA Fitness, a national chain of fitness clubs which may be interested in acquiring the pool and developing it. He said the money which was now available would pay to keep the filters and pumps running and perhaps do some tidying up and hopefully that would keep the pool open for the next three years.

Coun David Hancock welcomed the news, saying: "It is good to know that everyone has worked hard to resolve this."

"It is good to see that there is a result at this point. Hopefuly issues raised about cleanliness and marketing of the facility will be taken on board."

Coun Neil Smith said: "We have discussed having a management committee with the town council to discuss issues of cleanliness. If something really serious goes wrong we are going to be struggling for funds.

"People of Whitworth have got to use this facility and people of Whitworth aren't using the facility at the moment."

"On Monday just before the meeting with the town council and swimming club, I went to the pool and three staff were looking after one user of the pool and that included the sauna.

"Hundreds of pounds worth of money being wasted because no-one was using the facility. If Whitworth people want them they have to use them."

After the meeting chairman of Whitworth Swimming Club Christine Ashcroft said she was pleased the pool was staying open.

She invited the chairman to see how many people used the pool in an afternoon or evening rather than at 5pm teatime when most people were at home with their families.