ONE pound from an eight-year-old's pocket money has started the ball rolling towards the £20,000 needed to repair a school pool.

The facility at York's Carr Junior School, in Acomb, faces closure if a vital £20,000 overhaul is not carried out soon.

Nearly 40 years ago, the parents and friends of the school raised the money to build a swimming pool at the school and since that time about 12,000 youngsters have learned to swim there.

Head teacher Caroline Ryder told the pupils in assembly of the school's plight and Georgia Lacey, eight, was so worried the pool would close she brought a pound from her pocket money in the next day to start the campaign.

So far, the school has raised £2,392 to help keep the pool open for pupils and the 15 after-school clubs that currently use it.

Miss Ryder said: "Unfortunately, after all this time, the pool infrastructure has reached the end of its life and will cost an estimated £20,000 to repair to a standard that will last for many more years.

"This is not a significant amount by today's standards when you consider the £9 billion to be spent on London Olympics, but normal sources of funding, such as the lottery, are not available.

"The pool is owned by the school and not the council, whose resources cannot stretch to such investments.

"The parents, who are willing and keen to see the pool repaired, realistically do not have the resources to fund this bill themselves."

The school is turning to local businesses to help them fund their appeal, and all donations of whatever size are welcome.

All donations of more than £100 will get a personalised named wall tile when the pool has been completed.

Miss Ryder said: "There are now so few opportunities for youngsters to go swimming in this city.

"Our pool is not only used by pupils at this school, but by clubs from other schools and throughout the local community in the west of York.

"This is the local swimming facility in an area where nearly half the children live in homes which are amongst the 30 per cent most deprived in England."

To make a contribution to the fund, phone Miss Ryder at the school on 01904 798996 or email carrjunior@york.gov.uk.

There is a fundraising fun day being held at the King William Pub, in Chapelfields, on Bank Holiday Monday, on May 7, from 2pm to 6pm.