The Knutsford Leisure Centre pool is expected to shut at the beginning of May for 12 weeks for essential repairs.

"The predicament has been that there is no good time to close a pool," said centre manager Mike Harding.

"But we are looking to be open for the school summer holidays."

The decision, though, has made life difficult for Knutsford's thriving amateur swimming club.

Nearly 200 members use the pool and will have to find a new location to train.

"We are afraid that in the time the pool is closed, the swimmers will lose their fitness which will take a year to get back," said former chairman Mark Roberts.

The club has now written to Macclesfield Borough Council urging them to delay replacing the 25-year-old pool tiles.

"We're not asking for the work not to be done, but for some consideration be made as to when it is done," he said.

On Monday Mr Harding said he sympathised and was trying to arrange pool time at another leisure centre.

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