A young disabled boy will lose the one activity he can take part in on equal terms with any other child if two of York's swimming pools have to close.

Sara Hepworth, of Clifton, and her son, Ethan Taylor, aged two-and-a-half, outside Yearsley Swim-ming Pool. The pool is a godsend, she said, and closure will bring beneficial swimming to an end

Single mother Sara Hepworth, of Clifton, takes her two-and-half year-old son, Ethan, to Yearsley Pool every week if she can.

Ethan has cerebral palsy and a genetic illness. His principal difficulties are limited use of his hands, and severe tightness of the hamstrings and the abductor muscles in his thighs. He crawls rather than walks.

But Sara said when he was in the pool in his float suit he was like any other small child swimming with his mother.

"It's an activity he can be included in without standing out as a disabled child, which is quite important.

"It's important for him to be included in some aspect of everyday life."

But the swim sessions also have a crucial health role for Ethan. He kicks his legs around and exercises in the water, extending his legs and building up his muscles.

Sara, 26, said going to the pool saved them going on a busy list for hydrotherapy, and meant someone else could have it.

Sara said she loved going to Yearsley herself once a week when a volunteer sat with Ethan. "It's the only chance I get of having some time to myself and getting some exercise."

She said the pool was always warm, it was a nice environment, and there was plenty of room for Ethan when he started splashing around with excitement.

"It's apparent from his face that he is really having a good time," she said.

Sara said Yearsley was a "godsend" because it took her only 20 minutes to get there, even with Ethan in a pushchair. She also used the Barbican Pool, though it took her at least twice as long to get there.

But if both pools closed it would bring their swimming to an end. She had no car, could not walk to the Edmund Wilson Pool, at Acomb, and using buses with Ethan in his pushchair was a "farce".

Sara was dismayed when she heard the pools were under threat. "It would be a big loss to me and Ethan," she said.

One may survive, says council leader

Campaigners fighting for the survival of the Yearsley and Barbican swimming pools have been told it is likely that at least one will close.

Supporters of the Evening Press Save Our Swim campaign were told by City of York Council leader Rod Hills that he believes Yearsley swimming pool will survive.

But a fall in demand for swimming compared with other sports and large repair costs facing the council for the upkeep of the pools suggest that the Barbican could be sold.

Coun Hills said: "Swimming has dropped in popularity by 28 per cent over the past four years and it looks like we have an over-provision for swimming in the city. That is very important as two of the swimming baths need major repairs over the next two or three years.

"I expect one of the authority's pools will close and we will try to expand community use of other pools such as Archbishop Holgate's. In my personal opinion it will be Yearsley that remains, given its popularity.

"People who use the Barbican would be bitterly opposed to that being closed - understandably so - but we have got to get value for money."

The Evening Press Save Our Swim campaign was launched after a tide of local opposition to the possible closure of the pools following a major leisure services study.

The review is being carried out by the council to look at ways of getting best value for money from all leisure services, including museums, libraries and parks, along with swimming pools.

Charlie Croft, acting director of leisure services, said: "Coun Hills is expressing his personal opinion, which could turn out to be accurate, but there will be no decision until the leisure services review is completed.

"The reduction in demand for swimming pools does point to choices including closing one of them.

"This review will look at all the options and make recommendations to councillors which reflect the value of the services to the people who use them as well as to the community as a whole."

The review's findings will be discussed by City of York Council's policy and resources committee on February 17 at the earliest.

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