Residents bemoan closure of Sir John Deane's swimming pool

The facility, which was in part paid for via contributions and donations, has been the place where many in the town made their first splashes in the water.

Having closed during the pandemic, the college made a decision not to reopen it due to running costs and the amount of investment required to modernise it for continued use in the future.

Northwich Town Council says it will do all it can to save the pool, pointing to its importance as a vital asset to primary school children.

Sir John Deane's College have announced its swimming pool will permanently close

Here is what you had to say about the decision and what the pool has meant to you and your family over the years:

Twitter user @LengPamela replied to our story on the social media channel, saying: "Such a loss to the local community.

"Both my primary aged school children learned to swim here.

"Securing swimming lessons are highly competitive locally.

"I have friends waiting a year or longer to start their children on lessons.

"Crucial life skill especially in a town with rivers and canals."

Hartford Sub Aqua Club, who used the pool regularly until the pandemic, said they have struggled to find suitable alternatives.

Posted on our Facebook page, they said: "We are reduced to commuting to Runcorn or Chester to find somewhere that has space, so we can train the next generation of young divers.

"Cheshire West and Chester Council sadly missed a great opportunity to plan for the future when they closed the Moss Farm pool without consideration of the huge amount of new building planned around the town.

"The council once again has a great opportunity - to work with SJD and the local community to keep this pool open and available to the public.

"The prospect of an entire generation who will be unable to swim, have no respect for the water, simply because there was no space for them in a pool, is deeply sad."

Sarah Khalil posted: "There’s a ridiculously long waiting list for swimming lessons in Northwich - many children could grow up not learning how to swim now.

"This pool was so popular, it is still really needed."

Julie Merrill said: "I'm sure people would be happy for the prices of lessons to go up to keep the swimming pool running.

"There aren't enough pools for children to learn to swim they all have waiting lists.

Maggie Briers commented: "Oh I do hope this reopens, my children and grandchildren have used this wonderful pool, staff were amazing, please can we have it back.

"I also remember years ago the pupils of the collage paid money towards it being built."

Zosia Clare Cook posted: "My children were having lessons here before it shut.

"They have now been on a waiting list for Brio for nearly 12 months.

"It's ridiculous that children can't even get swimming lessons now in Northwich."

Linda Ridgway Williams said: "There was a fantastic disabilities swimming club who trained there on a Thursday night and Sunday morning. 

"The swimmers now have to travel miles away to train at two different sites which has meant that some of the squad have had no choice but to leave, these athletes have represented GB all over the world."