A recent inspection of the damaged roof at Kingfisher Leisure Centre in Sudbury has revealed that significant repairs are needed before the town’s swimming pool can reopen.

The pool was originally closed on Friday, August 23, to allow for an investigation and repairs following damage to a glass panel above the pool.

It was hoped the pool would be able to quickly reopen, but it soon became apparent that the complexity of the repair and time required for the supply of the specialist replacement glass panels would mean a longer closure.

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However, further investigations have revealed additional work to the roof is needed – meaning the pool will be closed for at least a further 12 weeks.

All other facilities at Kingfisher, including the gym and sauna, remain open as usual.

The leisure centre is owned by Babergh District Council and operated by not-for-profit social enterprise Abbeycroft.

The council invested more than £2.3m in extending and modernising the leisure centre by extending the gym, adding community studios, and refurbishing the poolside changing and toilet facilities in 2019.

The original pool building, however, is nearly 40 years old.

While the pool is closed, the council will also take the opportunity to carry out additional surveys and maintenance work.

A council spokesperson said: "We know that the pool at Kingfisher Leisure Centre is a well-used and popular community facility, and appreciate the disappointment that its temporary closure will have caused, but people’s safety is our top priority, and more extensive repairs are required than first realised."