SEPTUAGENARIAN leisure users in Swindon have won their fight to get a free discount card.

Responding to public pressure the council cabinet last night agreed that the new Swindon Card leisure discount scheme will be made available free for over-75s.

The cabinet is also to look into lower swimming charges for children.

The Swindon Card was introduced in February and replaced the booking card, gold card, student card and staff card.

It entitles people to 30 per cent off leisure activities and costs £15 a year for people living within the borough of Swindon and £22 for those living outside. There are various discounts available when purchasing the card.

Pensioners' campaigner Frank Avenell was among those to complain that the elderly used to be eligible for a free Gold Card.

The new system means that children who don't own a Swindon Card now have to pay the full adult price for swimming. Council leader Kevin Small said that he believed this was wrong and would be looking into changing the system to encourage children to use the town's pools.

He said the council is to investigate charging children £1 to use the pools out of school hours if they have a Swindon Card and £1.90 if they don't.