MORE than 4,500 people have come out against proposals to close two popular swimming pools.

Three separate petitions have been handed into Stoke-on-Trent City Council calling for Shelton and Tunstall pools to remain open.

The petitions were presented to yesterday's full meeting of the city council.

John Harbron, secretary of Shelton Swimming for Therapy Club, was invited to address the full council after presenting his group's 231-name petition to keep the pool open.

The 73-year-old, from Trentham, told councillors: "If you close Shelton Pool, you remove our only chance to exercise, which improves our fitness and our quality of life. You are discriminating against the vulnerable and disabled.

"The temperature is 90 degrees (32ºC), which is vital for disabled people. There is disabled access, a hoist, a spa pool with a temperature of 100 degrees (38ºC) and there's disabled changing rooms.

"There's no other pool in the city like it. This is a pool this city needs."

The city council also received a separate petition signed by 1,143 people calling for Shelton Pool to be saved.

Councillor Derek Capey, pictured below, said the pool was in need of repairs and maintenance which would cost £550,000 to carry out.

He added: "If it is going to remain, we can't keep going on every year and not do this backline maintenance. However, at the moment, we have not got the money and it is very likely that next year things will get worse. The pool will close itself if we can't pay this vast amount of maintenance."

The council says closing the pool could save £242,000 over three years, as well as avoiding the maintenance bill.

A further 3,165 people put their names to a petition calling for Tunstall Pool to be saved. The city council claims £161,000 could be saved over three years by shutting the Victorian pool.

Susan Johnson, aged 65, from Dresden, told the council: "Tunstall Pool was built in 1889. It is a unique facility recognised by English Heritage that the city should be proud of, not seeking to destroy.

"You may say it's only a swimming pool – but what a fabulous one. People choose to come to Tunstall from all over the city because they enjoy the warm, friendly atmosphere. The Government is encouraging people to get fit for life and the city has been identified as being of a poor state of health, with obesity a particular problem. Swimming pools are considered the highest priority."

Councillor Capey told the meeting: "Tunstall Pool is a Grade-II listed building. That means when you want to do maintenance, you have to pay more money because it can't be done cheaply."

Mr Capey added there are plans to build a new 25m (82ft) swimming pool, which could replace Tunstall Pool but admitted funding had not been identified.

There are currently no plans to close either pool during the coming financial year but the proposals are among £45 million worth of cuts the council intends to make by 2013.