It's not over yet say baths campaigners

They discussed their next step in their battle against Dudley Council's decision to close the leisure centre on Monday. It was standing room only as supporters of all ages, some wearing Save Coseley Baths T-shirts, vowed to continue their fight. Spokesman for the Save Coseley Baths group Brian Guest said: "We have been overwhelmed by the support tonight.

"It just shows the strength of feeling, not just in Coseley, but elsewhere in the borough.

"It is not over yet. We are going to fight for as long as it takes.

"We do not want to lose these baths.

"Dudley Council is not doing what it is supposed to which is looking after the health and well-being of children and adults in the borough."

Dudley North MP Ian Austin, who is backing the campaign to save the baths, said: "The support for this campaign shows the determination and desire to keep these baths open.

"I have swum in these baths myself and I know how important it is to teach young people how to swim.

"During the recession it is clear to me that if they demolish the baths and sell the site, they not going to get the money for the site that they would get in the future," he added.

"It wouldn't cost much to keep the baths open.

"There is funding available from the Government for the management and maintenance of public swimming pools."

Dudley Council says that the baths need £1 million of urgent repairs to make the roof safe, as well as a further £1 million spent to bring the building up to scratch.

Decommissioning works will run from September 1 to 11, when the building will be handed over to Dudley Council's corporate property department.

Electricity and water will then be cut off ahead of demolition, with leisure chief Councillor David Stanley keen for bulldozers to reduce the building to rubble as soon as possible after closure.

The authority has yet to secure funds for the six-figure demolition bill, and the money may have to come from the public purse, chiefs have admitted.