Urgent action should be taken by the Borough of Poole to help sports people with nowhere to go after the shock closure of their leisure centre.

This is the call from Cllr Mike Brooke, leader of the Liberal Democrats, who has received a flurry of emails from residents unable to pursue their sports and leisure activities at Poole Sports Centre.

The Echo reported last week that seven potential operators had come forward, even before commercial property agent Sibbett Gregory had marketed it to find a tenant, on behalf of long term leaseholder AXA.

"We don't know what's going to happen even with the private companies that supposedly expressed an interest in it," said Cllr Brooke.

"We don't know how long that's going to take.

"At the moment we have youngsters who play sport with nowhere else to go."

He is calling on the council for an urgent report which examines the potential cost of re-opening the sports centre, explores grants, what can be done to attract an alternative private operator and what action the council is taking to support existing users.

Cllr Peter Adams, cabinet portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said they recognised the importance of sporting facilities to the health and wellbeing of residents and the council had significantly improved its three leisure centres.

He said Sibbett Gregory had informed them that interest was being shown by some specialists in running sports and leisure facilities at the Dolphin Shopping Centre site.

"AXA and Sibbett Gregory have co-operated with the badminton and volleyball clubs by allowing them access to the facilities," he said.

"The council would certainly be prepared to offer as much help and advice as possible if the users of Poole Sports Centre considered running the facility themselves."