A DALES community has been warned that building a swimming pool could be an uphill battle especially if it struggles to win the support of The National Lottery.

Hawes has already raised £20,000 towards the cost, but the total bill is just short of £1m.

If the project is to become a reality, then £400,000 will have to come from Europe, £30,000 from local councils, another £25,000 from local fundraising and £60,000 from the Rural Development Fund.

However, Richmondshire leisure chiefs were told on Monday night Sport England could prove the toughest nut to crack.

A bid for the remaining £370,000 is being drawn up by consultants - but Councillor John Blackie told Richmondshire District Council's economic, cultural and leisure committee that the area's small population would be a drawback.

"It will be an uphill battle to convince Sport England, which looks at how many people will use a facility before granting lottery money," he told a meeting.

"In the upper dales in total, we have 3,500 people but the pool is vitally important to a large, very rural area."

If the project goes ahead, the 20m pool would be built behind the Dales Countryside Museum. A feasibility study indicated it would be likely to make a small profit almost immediately, with community events and children's parties among the possibilities.