Pool extends closure following roof panel damage

The swimming pool at Kingfisher Leisure Centre will be closed until the middle of September

A swimming pool that was forced to close after its roof was damaged will remain shut for longer.

Babergh District Council closed the Kingfisher Leisure Centre pool in Sudbury, Suffolk, on Friday 23 August due to a damaged glass panel above the pool.

The closure was due to last until Saturday 31 August, but the council said it would need to extend it for a further fortnight – until 14 September – due to the "complexity of the repair".

Warren Smyth, chief executive of Abbeycroft, which operates the leisure centre on behalf of the council, apologised for the news.

"We’re sorry for the disruption this has caused at the end of the summer holidays, but we must ensure people’s safety," he said.

"We have been contacting customers directly who have bookings with us, and we thank everyone for their understanding."

The council added that the closure had to be extended due to the "time required for the supply of the specialist glass panel replacement".

An investigation was launched to find the cause of the damage, but the council said it was still unknown.

Repair work has been ongoing in the meantime, with the pool drained and scaffolding put up.

The sauna was able to open on Monday, and the gym and other facilities remain open.

Additional maintenance work is being done while the pool is closed.