Residents fear the closure of a swimming pool is a foregone conclusion after councillors announced wide-ranging proposals to cut costs.

Thornton pool has been shut down temporarily after a crack developed in the roof of the 65-year-old swimming baths.

But it is now on a list of recreational facilities earmarked for permanent closure to help save £1.8 million for Bradford's schools.

Melanie Milnes, who has lived in Thornton all her life and whose eight-year-old daughter was learning to swim at the pool, claimed the council had jumped at the chance to shut it down.

She said: "There was a petition to keep the pool open last year and it was brought up at the neighbourhood forum. They said they'd keep everybody informed but they've said nothing and have just gone ahead with it. They've done this through the back door. It's disgusting.''

In 1986, the baths won an 11th hour reprieve when councillors agreed to spend more than £300,000 on repairs after a 2,000-signature petition. Two years later, the pool faced closure again as part of a £5m cuts package and local residents have battled to keep it open ever since.

The council's executive committee agreed cuts - from closing down six social services homes to scrapping the unadopted roads programme - on Tuesday. Officers have now been instructed to review the closure of Thornton pool and report back by December.

A council spokesman was yesterday unable to comment on the pool's closure.