CAMPAIGNERS who lost a battle to save Bingley's public swimming pool from the axe say they will not give up the fight.

Bradford Council has decided to press ahead with a £41 million scheme to build four new pools in the district and shut four old ones.

But the project will see Bingley lose its only public pool, with no direct replacement planned for the town.

The news has been met with dismay from campaigners, some of whom have been looking into whether the community could take over the running of the pool rather than see it lost for good.

Ros Dawson, who chairs a group campaigning for Bingley to have a town council, said: "The decision they’ve made to shut Bingley Pool is appalling.

"It is yet another blow for Bingley which will affect the health of residents and the economy of our town.

"But we will not give up and will seek every way possible to support the Save Bingley Pool campaign. We must either try to keep the existing facility open, if it is viable, or create a new pool facility for the people of Bingley."

Bingley Pool, built in 1927, runs at a substantial loss, which is one of the reasons why it was earmarked for closure by Bradford Council.

Council figures show the pool brings in only 51p for every £1 it costs to run the building.

For 2012/13, it cost an average of £9,987 a week to run the pool, but takings came to £5,080 a week, with the Council having to subsidise the difference.

Councillor Andrew Thornton (Lab), executive member for sport at Bradford Council, said the authority had been talking to campaigners about whether they could take on the pool as a community asset.

He said the Council had given them key information about the pool's finances, and the group was now considering whether the idea was viable.

He said: "If they are still keen to do that, we are still keen to continue to talk to them."

Shipley MP Philip Davies (Con), who campaigned against the closure, said: "If the Council are determined to press on with this decision, there is very little we can do to stop them.

"So it will come to the point where the community has to look at whether or not it is viable to take it on and, if so, what body would be prepared to do it and has the wherewithal to do it."

But he said in his view, that was "not an acceptable alternative" and that the Council should be providing a pool for the town.

The Council's scheme also involves closing Richard Dunn sports centre in Odsal and Bowling and Queensbury pools.

They will be replaced by city centre pool earmarked for Nelson Street, and ones in Squire Lane in Toller, Sedbergh playing fields near Odsal and Asa Briggs recreation ground in Queensbury.

MORE AIRE VALLEY HEADLINES