CO2 shortage forces Cannock swimming pool closure

A swimming pool has been temporarily closed after leisure centre staff ran out of carbon dioxide.

Bosses at Chase Leisure Centre in Cannock, Staffordshire, made the announcement on Tuesday and apologised to users.

Carbon dioxide is used in swimming pools to manage water quality.

A delivery is expected on Wednesday evening which should allow the pool to reopen on Thursday, the district council said.

It added there were plans to alter the system in use at the pool to one which does not rely on carbon dioxide, saying its availability was a "national issue".

A deal had to be agreed in October between the government and CF Industries, a key CO2 producer in the UK, to continue supplies of the gas.

It is produced as a by-product of making fertilizer and the firm had suspended production at two sites due to the rising cost of natural gas.