16462/1CHILDREN in Trowbridge will miss out on the chance of a swim at half-term as the only pool in the town will be closed.

Maintenance work at the Trowbridge Sports Centre on Frome Road means the pool will be shut for two weeks from February 7-14.

Operations manager Stuart Holmes admitted the timing was poor.

He said: "It is a routine maintenance check and it is the only time we are able to do it and get all the maintenance teams in at the same time."

The work will involve a complete overhaul of the electrics, pool filters and the mechanics of the moveable floor.

The decision to close the pool during the busy February half term has angered parents, many of whom have children who take part in swimming lessons or the centre's children's holiday club.

One mother of five, who asked not to be named, said: "It seems to be a ridiculous time to close it down. If they did it in term time other fitness programmes would be affected but at half term the pool is used a lot.

"Also it is winter so people aren't going on holiday and swimming is a family activity that the kids will be missing out on."

DC Leisure, which owns the centre, has other pools in west Wiltshire but for non-drivers or teenagers who like to walk to the centre on their own, travelling to Westbury, Melksham or Bradford on Avon might not be an option.

Another mother, whose two young children take swimming lessons at the centre, said: "It is a stupid idea. If your child is having swimming lessons they are missing out and it is a big gap for them to go back after two weeks.

"If they are in the kids club you are paying for them to go swimming and they are then missing out on that."

The children's club will still continue over half term, with activities such as trampolining, gymnastics and a bouncy castle, as well as visits from groups such as the police and fire brigade.

A mother of three from the town said: "I don't see why they can't arrange their essential maintenance at a time when fewer people want to use the pool.

"It doesn't seem very good business practice and there are plenty other weeks in the year."