Waves of sadness for final weeks at baths

But for families flocking to Coseley baths the popular pastime is in peril with the building in Pear Tree Lane to close on August 31.

Despite the pool's well-publicised plight a steady stream of swimmers arriving in cars and on foot went up the stone steps and through the doors clutching towels yesterday afternoon. They came from Coseley, Sedgley and Dudley, but also Tipton and Oldbury, for a dip in the 33-metre pool. All were dismayed at the closure plan.

Dawn Lappage, aged 36, of Ocker Hill Road, Tipton, snubbed Tipton baths to take her children Jack, aged four, and Adam, 12, to Coseley. The teaching assistant said: "I have been coming to this pool since I was Jack's age.

"The sessions here are more flexible so the two children can swim together.

"We come once a week during term time but we come more than that in the holidays. It's cheap and cheerful and keeps them quiet when the weather's like this. We're going to have to find another baths now."

Linda Malkin and friend Carol Smith took grandchildren Amelia Woodward, eight, and Madeline Smith, seven, to the baths.

Doctor's surgery deputy practice manager Mrs Malkin, aged 58, of The Broadway, Dudley, said: "Where else can you take the children in the holidays without it costing a fortune? If you want to go to the pictures it all adds up. There's so many canals in this area, children need to be able to swim."

Retired assembly worker Mrs Smith, aged 65, of Springfield Grove, Sedgley, said: "I can walk here or catch a bus from my house. They say over 60s have to get their exercise and then they close the pool. There's a lot of pensioners use this pool."

Lee Colledge said his children Kyra, nine, and Zac, 13, and friend Kelsey Billingham, six, were "upset and disappointed" and could not understand why the baths were closing.

Unemployed Mr Colledge, 35, of Cotswold Close, Oldbury said: "It sends out the wrong message to children, to be closing facilities when they enjoy using them.

"You can take youngsters to theme parks and things like that in the holidays but when the weather's not good you want to have something you can do indoors, and this is exercise as well."

Accounts clerk Julie Hickman, of Ribbesford Crescent, Coseley, took time off work to spend the day with daughters Emily, 10, and Laura, 14, and their grandparents Pat and Terry Jordan who live a stone's throw from the pool in Pear Tree Lane.

Mrs Hickman, aged 46, said: "I used to come here with my friends when I was at school and my youngest comes with all her friends and you don't have to worry, you know they're safe because they're all together."

Retired mother-of-one Mrs Jordan, aged 67, said: "It's a good solid building that seems to have never had a penny spent on it in 47 years. How many buildings do you know that don't need money spending on them after 47 years? It's a disgrace."

Chris Joiner, 27, and partner Maxine Pedley, 26, had also made a short journey to the baths with seven-month-old Liam, three-year-old Rhiannon and Aliyah, seven. Unemployed Mr Joiner, of Norton Crescent, Coseley, said: "I was brought up with these baths, they are the only ones I have ever used and it's so convenient for us, it's only round the corner.

"Our seven-month-old was going to be brought up with these baths but now he won't be of course. Our local baths will be Dudley now and we couldn't get in there the last time we went."

Eight-year-old Lauren Bartlett, from Gloucester, made a flying visit to the baths with aunt Christine Rich, aged 62. Lauren was staying with her aunt, a retired legal secretary and cafe owner, and her husband Frederick, aged 58, at their home in Paganel Drive, Dudley during the holidays. Mrs Rich said her niece had been impressed by the pool but added: "It is a lovely deep, long pool but to let the building get into this state of disrepair is absolutely diabolical.

"Lauren said it was a shame the slide wasn't working but of course that went years ago."

Mr Rich, a semi-retired fibre glass mould maker, added: "This is the only facility we have got in the north of the borough.

"No matter what it would cost to repair it, what will it cost to replace it when it's gone? Or won't they bother?"

Swimming at Coseley baths is priced at less than £10 for a family of four, with admission for two adults and two children priced £9.90.

Swimming is priced 90p for under five-year-olds, £1.90 for children over five and pensioners and £3.20 for adults.