WORK on the £2.3 million Malmesbury indoor swimming pool is on the finishing straight and the district council is confident it will be open by Christmas.

The new pool at The Activity Zone, in Bremilham Road, will replace the 41-year-old outdoor pool in Alexander Road. Building work was originally delayed last September when builders, North Midland Construction, were left high and dry after a company which supplies steel girders to the industry closed unexpectedly.

But now the development is back on track and the pool tank is finished and work on the wooden roof is also complete.

District councillor Lesley Bennett said Christmas was a realistic date and building work was going well.

"It is coming on great," she said. "I have booked my grandson for Christmas so I am confident it will be ready by then."

The next phase of work involves installing fixtures and fittings, followed by the tiling of the pool and installation of the changing cubicles.

The pool will have a moveable floor to allow the depth to be altered to accommodate a wide variety of uses.

North Wiltshire District Council was awarded nearly £1.2 million in National Lottery money to fund the project and put up £865,000 themselves.

Malmesbury Town Council and parish councils have pledged £15,000 and an anonymous benefactor donated £300,000.