A PETITION has been launched to try and keep Cresta swimming pool open after the shock announcement that it could be set to close at the end of the summer holidays.

Somerset County Council has announced that it will shut the leisure centre end of the summer in the face of £1m repair and refurbishment costs.

On Friday (July 13), Chard resident Daniel Glentworth set up a petition to keep the pool open, which received more than 700 signatures in the first 12 hours.

Daniel said: "I suppose there are many factors that inspired me to start it.

"Firstly, my family. I have two children, Molly, 10, and Noah, almost three.

"Molly learnt to swim there in swimming lessons and I’m worried as to where Noah will learn - I know there are plans for a new pool in the future but delays are inevitable and I don’t want my son missing out on a life skill, that could one day, save his life.

RELATED: CLOSING: Cresta swimming pool to shut as repair costs hit £1million

"Secondly, being a primary school teacher in the town, I have concerns that all of the schools won’t be able to fulfil their requirement to teach their pupils to swim 25m by the end of year six.

"There approx 900 primary-aged pupils in the Chard area alone, let alone the 1200 pupils who attend Holyrood - where will they learn?

"In addition to these points there are other reasons for starting it. Health benefits for those with arthritis, asthma or diabetes, tackling childhood obesity or those who swim for their mental well-being.

South Somerset District Council unveiled the Chard Regeneration proposals in June.

Proposed components could include a new leisure centre and swimming pool, although if everything goes to plan this is still set to take at least two years.

RELATED: CRESTA: Decision slammed as 'short-sighted' ahead of council meeting

Daniel added: "Closing our pool doesn’t help aspirations of our young swimmers. Chard’s Matthew Clay won Commonwealth Gold in 2006 - he swam at what was then, the Kingfisher pool as a youngster.

"The town’s sporting facilities are deteriorating - Chard Football Club have been looking for a new ground pretty much since I was born and the FA are now saying the pitch isn’t acceptable.

"A town the size of Chard should have a sporting community that thrives, closing the pool doesn’t help this to happen.

"I appreciate that there are plans for a new pool when the housing development in Chard begins, and I fully welcome this as it will eventually attract people into the town, but where will people swim until then?

"Surely it would make sense to keep the pool open until the new one is built. St James’s pool in Taunton stayed open until the Blackbrook pool was completed."

Click here to sign the petition.

Daniel was hoping to reach 1,000 signatures before Wednesday morning's county council meeting in Taunton.

He has already got 965 at the time of publication.

UPDATE: As of 7am on Monday, July 16, the petition has 1,268 signatures