RESIDENTS plan to step up their campaign to save Whitworth swimming pool and pressurise Rossendale Council after securing 7,000 signatures on a petition.

Alan Neal, an ex-Mayor of the Valley from the late 1990s, is leading the fight, along with members of Whitworth Swimming Club.

They are to meet MP Janet Anderson next Friday to gain her support, and have organised a public meeting on Sunday, and a street protest three days later.

They hope to convince council officers to save the baths in the run up to October 31 -- when a decision will be made on the pool's fate during a meeting.

Council officers revealed earlier in the month £400,000 worth of work needed to be carried out to keep the pool functioning. It is currently closed because it needs £60,000 immediately to repair a pumping system.

Mr Neal blamed Whitworth's recent troubles as the reason for the pool falling into a state of disrepair.

In 1995 town hall official Gerry Taylor ran off with a substantial amount of cash stolen from Whitworth Council, which meant the authority's services had to be taken over by Rossendale. He has never been caught.

The pool has been under-funded since the take over, claimed Mr Neil.

"Rossendale promised it would be more efficient and cost effective," he said. "But they have run the service into the ground. It has been decaying for six years.

"It's just not the current administration's fault. There have been both Labour and Conservative councils in control during the past six years.

"We have a petition with nearly 7,000 signatures which shows the whole community wants the pool to stay. Hopefully the authority will take notice. If not we'll have people protesting with banners and placards when the council meets on October 31."

The council-owned pool opened in August 1972 and Whitworth Swimming Club began in October of that year.

The club has 300 members, with 150 on the waiting list.