A RESCUE package to prevent two school swimming pools from closing is being put together by Sedgefield Borough Council.

An announcement by Durham County Council to pull the plug and close the two school pools at Shildon and Fishburn has angered the local communities.

While the county council has a statutory requirement to provide swimming opportunities for junior school pupils, they have no responsibility to own and manage swimming pools and have started a closure programme.

Shildon's pool, refurbished in 1996, closed at Easter because of plant failure. Fishburn, which was constructed in the 1960s, is set for a similar fate at the end of this month.

Sedgefield Borough Council leader Brian Stephens, who is spearheading the rescue efforts, is adamant the pools will stay open and serve the communities of Shildon and Fishburn.

He said: "Both of these pools have been used by the borough council for many years and have proved extremely popular.

"It is quite clear to me that unless the borough council intervenes, both pools will close and that is despite representation from the local communities to Durham County Council.

"We have already started discussions to transfer the pools to the borough council, though we would require the county council to undertake the necessary repairs to re-open the Shildon pool."

A report will be presented to the cabinet of Sedgefield Borough Council on September 5, where it is hoped the transfer will be finalised.

Coun Stephens said: "This is for the communities of Fishburn and Shildon and we will do all we can to help them.

"You only have to have watched the Commonwealth Games in Manchester to see how popular swimming is.

"It has captured the imagination of the nation."