Paralympian calls for centre's pool to be saved

Callie-Ann Warrington became a European champion at the 2024 championships

A Paralympian from Kent has called for a local sports centre's pool to be saved.

Callie-Ann Warrington, who is set to swim at her first Paralympics, made the plea after Folkestone Sports Centre Trust told users it was closing its doors.

The Ashford-based swimmer, who competed at the site when she was younger, said: "As a county we are haemorrhaging 25-metre pools that are closing left, right, and centre, and we don’t even have access to a 50-metre pool."

The trust has been contacted for a comment.

The centre has two pools

Ms Warrington, who grew up in Maidstone, said: "It’s affecting the community because not only are they losing their pool, they are losing a space where people tend to connect [and] make friends.”

The European gold medallist explained that for some people it was "life-changing" to have a local pool.

"It’s a way to get people fit, it’s a way to socialise, [and] it helps with your mental health."

Three Kent swimmers were chosen to represent Team GB at the Olympics and Paralympics - Ms Warrington, Eva Okaro, and Iona Winnifrith.

'Very upset'

Ms Warrington, who has an impairment that impacts the muscles on the left side of her body, said: "I’m amazed that we are able to produce top level athletes with 25-metre pools, we are already at a deficit compared to other counties."

She added: "You’ve got to start somewhere, and if you remove that, where are you going to start?"

Kent County Amateur Swimming Association president John King said: “This is a bad state of affairs because we are very keen on competitive swimming in Kent.”

He said he was "very upset" when he heard about the closure and worried about how local residents would be impacted.

A petition to save the site, which was set up following the news of the closure, has gained more than 6,500 signatures.