THE virus which causes legionnaires' disease has been found in the water system serving the Link Centre's shower and toilet system.

Swindon Council, which runs the centre, says minute samples of the bug were detected during routine checks designed precisely for this purpose.

These checks were concentrated on the cooling system which reduces the temperature of the water after it has been heated to kill bacteria.

A thorough cleaning process began, and the centre was expected to be open for business again by lunchtime today.

Council chief executive Simon Birch said: "This is a clear demonstration of how our procedure for checking these systems is working effectively.

"What we have picked up is a very tiny level of the bug, which presented a very low level of risk.

"That monitoring has allowed us to clean the water systems long before it became a problem."

Members of the Swindon Lynx Ice Hockey Team were due to be practising at the centre ahead of two important games this week.

Coach Daryl Lipsy is worried about going back to the centre.

He said: "I will go back if they say it is safe, but it will still worry me.

"I am also concerned that people won't want to come to our home games at the Link once they hear about this." John Short, director of Swindon Services, the direct services arm of Swindon Council, said of the incident: "The systems within the Link Centre, the Oasis Centre and all of our other leisure centres are very safe and geared entirely towards the health and wellbeing of the public.

"That is why problems are picked up.

"For the safety of the public, we shut things down whether we need to or not, so a proper analysis of the situation can be made."

Mr Short said he was alerted to a problem with the cooling system at the centre around lunchtime yesterday.

Suspecting that the water serving the toilets and showers of the centre had not been heated to the appropriate level prior to being cooled and piped, he instantly ordered the centre closed while analysis and remedial work was carried out.

Specialist technicians were brought in to thoroughly flush and cleanse the system.

Mr Short said he anticipated that the centre would be open for business later today.

FACTFILE: Legionnaires disease is a rare form of pneumonia which can be fatal.

The early symptoms are similar to flu, and include headache, fever, chills, muscle aches and a dry cough.

This is followed by shortness of breath as the pneumonia develops.

It is spread by inhaling fine droplets of water which contain the Legionella bacteria.

The bacteria is not passed from person to person, and outbreaks are usually spread via a contaminated air conditioning system.

Not everyone who comes into contact with the bacteria develops the disease, which can be treated with antibiotics.

Barrie Hudson