FEARS have been raised that a school swimming pool that was built and paid for by the community will be shut.

Families have reacted angrily after Berkeley Primary School admitted it was "reviewing" whether the school pool is fit for purpose.

Shona Darley, a Berkeley parent, said there were strong feelings about the issue.

"A lot of parents in the community dug that pool with their own hands," she said.

Members of the community have also raised £20,000 in the past 18 months to pay for modifications to the pool.

Rachael Stump, a mother-of-two, said: "We have raised all this money for the pool, if they turn around and say they are going to shut it what will we do? We won’t be able to give it back because so many people have donated.

"This will affect the whole of Berkeley from the older generations who helped build the pool to the children who love to swim in it."

The pool, which was built in 1965, was previously run by a parent committee, however in September the running of the pool was handed over to school governors at the request of headteacher Francis Lark.

Since then former committee members have been concerned that no preparation has been made for the start of the summer season.

Mrs Lark denied that they had already decided to shut the pool but said there were "health and safety issues".

She said: "First of all I would like to stress that no decision has been made to close the swimming pool.

"At the moment, the governors are discussing a range of options for the future of the pool.

"The governors fully recognise that the community is very committed to seeing the pool continue and I would like to reassure people that this is being taken into account and all options are being considered very carefully."

Mrs Darley, who was chairman of the former pool committee, is a qualified health and safety officer. She said she was confident the pool complied with health and safety laws.

"I do have expertise in this field and I know that the pool is perfectly safe," said Mrs Darley, a mother-of-two. "I just think this is an excuse to close the pool. We accept that it is a big responsibility, but the pool is a very important part of the community and is still extremely popular."