PUPILS all over Middlewich have joined a campaign for Congleton Borough Council to splash out on a swimming pool.

Thousands of signatures have been collected on a petition formed by Middlewich High School, putting the pressure on the borough to back the venture.

Primary, junior and infant school pupils have also joined in the battle for a leisure centre and teachers are backing them.

Tony O'Neill, a teacher at Middlewich High School, is supporting the campaign which has also been given the thumbs up by members of Middlewich Town Council.

Tony said: "We want a pool in Middlewich as a leisure facility which is long overdue and long promised.

"It would be a teaching facility as well as a safety one because it's essential to learn how to swim.

"In fact, Middlewich cannot be entered without crossing water because of the canals and rivers surrounding it.

"Another reason we are pressing for a pool is because Middlewich is one of the fastest growing towns in Cheshire with a great deal of new houses being built, particularly along the Holmes Chapel Road stretch.

"I've been here around eight years now and as a resident and teacher of Middlewich I think everyone would love a pool and support it."

Tony explained how the school pool campaign first came about.

"A group of pupils approached me with the idea of starting a petition, I agreed to back them, and now the school has collected signatures from pupils in all the Middlewich schools," he said.

"They range from the spidery writing of younger pupils to secondary students."

An independent study was carried out three years ago to look at the possibility of providing a pool in Middlewich as part of its building plans around the town.

But Congleton Borough Council was said to have expressed concern at the annual revenue costs of running a pool and its upkeep.

Middlewich councillor Russell Watkinson, who is also a borough councillor, explained: "We want a pool included in the borough's capital programme and if not we would like some money to look at the possibility of providing a pool for the people of Middlewich.

"I think it's a wonderful thing that school children are helping to strengthen the campaign. Now we need more weight behind the battle, and we are calling for all residents of the borough to get behind us."

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