A TOWN centre swimming pool will have been shut for almost a fortnight after a boiler breakdown caused water temperatures to plummet.

Hundreds of swimmers have been forced to postpone their daily dips after problems developed at Poole’s Dolphin Swimming Pool last Wednesday.

Initially staff hoped the hitch could be fixed in a few days, but engineers – who have been on site since the pool’s dual boilers packed up – are now scheduled to finish the job tomorrow (Wednesday).

And because of the sheer volume of water in the near-Olympic-sized 33-metre pool, it will take five more days to heat it to government health and safety standards – meaning it won’t reopen for bathers until Monday.

Swimmer Dawn Bennett said: “It’s a bit disappointing; a lot of people use the pool and you always get a few more people getting into fitness at this time of year because of their new year resolutions.

“But I don’t think anyone would want to swim in a cold pool – we’ve got the sea to do that in if we want.”

Two weeks after the pool is due to reopen it is set to host the Poole Lions Club Swimarathon, an annual charity event which has already raised £620,000 for good causes.

Clare James, a spokesman for SLM – the company managing the pool – said the first boiler was fixed last Saturday.

She added: “It can take nearly a week to heat the water back up.

“We would like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused but would like to assure them everything that can be done to get the pool open as soon as possible is being done.”

There is still time to sign up to the 31st Poole Lions Club Swimarathon. Teams of six swimmers, with one non-swimming captain, are being urged to sign up for the weekend of February 7-8. To get involved call 01202 691702.