MAKING WAVES: Swimmer Linda Atkinson, pupils from the reception class of Fishergate School and other protesters demonstrate with Evening Press campaign posters outside the Barbican swimming pool today

Swimmers angry at proposals that could see their pool shut took to the streets of York today to protest.

A group of demonstrators drawn mainly from an over-50s group that meets at the Barbican Centre gathered outside the building to voice their opposition and add their weight to the Evening Press Save Our Swim campaign.

As part of a revamp of leisure services, City of York Council is to look at the possible closure of the Barbican and Yearsley pools.

Leisure services chairman Coun Bob Scrase revealed yesterday that Yearsley could get a reprieve if a proposal to set up a community trust to run it was accepted.

But the future remains bleak for the Barbican, which needs a £3.4million modernisation.

Protest organiser Linda Atkinson rallied her fellow swimmers after reading about the closure proposals in the Evening Press.

She said: "I feel very strongly about losing the pool, and so does everyone I have talked to. We decided it was time to stand up and be counted.

"The pool is a lifeline for a lot of people and it would be a real blow if it was closed. It's not just about swimming it's the social side as well."

Mrs Atkinson, who has gone swimming at the Barbican for more than 14 years, swims there twice a week and says she always finds it well-used.

She has so far gathered more than 400 signatures from swimmers at the Barbican opposed to the proposals.

She said: "It is the council who have allowed it to become rundown because they haven't spent money on it in the past.

"They shouldn't be allowed to close the pool. It just doesn't make sense."

Dorothy Nicholson, from the over-50s group, said the level of support for saving the Barbican was as strong as that at Yearsley, but added: "Over the past two years the Barbican pool has been allowed to disintegrate and it will turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy for the council."

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