Dovercourt leisure centre to reopen next week after tests

The council said it would announce a reopening date after receiving the all-clear from laboratory testing

A leisure centre in Harwich, Essex, should reopen next week if water sample tests come back clear.

Dovercourt Bay Lifestyles shut on Sunday when an external leak caused the water supply to be turned off.

Tendring District Council, which owns the centre, said engineers repaired the fault on Wednesday.

A spokesman said the site would reopen if water samples, sent for laboratory testing, ruled out any potential contamination caused by the leak.

'Tireless work'

Lee Heley, the council's corporate director for place and economy, apologised to customers.

"Our staff have worked tirelessly to identify and repair the water leak," he said.

"Unfortunately we are now in the hands of the lab testing the water samples, but we hope to be able to reopen as soon as we receive a clear test result."

The Dovercourt centre is home to a gym, sports hall, swimming pool and all-weather pitch.

Staff were being redeployed to the council's two other leisure centres in Clacton and Walton-on-the-Naze.

The Clacton Leisure Centre swimming pool was closed briefly last month due to a water level fault.