Guernsey school pool closure petition signed by nearly 1,000 people

A petition calling for a school swimming pool to remain open throughout the year has been handed to Guernsey's Education Department.

Hautes Capelles Primary School pool is due to shut for six months of the year as part of closures at most primary schools under cost-saving plans.

Margaret Honey, who runs a swimming school, said it would damage children's swimming skills and ruin her business.

The petition with 916 signatures was handed to the education minister.

Last month the department announced the change to swimming pool opening times to save £100,000 a year.

It is one of the savings identified by the department, which has been tasked with saving £7.2m by 2014 as part of the financial transformation programme, a States-wide savings project.