‘USE it or lose it’ . . . that’s the simple message to people in Ilminster from the group responsible for the town’s swimming pool.

The long-standing facility at Greenfylde First School needs a new roof, and the local community is being called on to help raise vital funds.

It is feared the pool could close if not enough money is raised . . . just two years after it re-opened.

One quote to replace the asbestos roof has come in at around £30,000, adding to the £5,000 a year it costs to keep the pool running which the volunteers will have to raise.

The pool is run entirely by volunteers from the Friends of Greenfylde School (FROGS) group, who are calling on local people to back their appeal.

FROGS member Clare White told the News: “The problem with the roof is general wear and tear, but if we have a bad storm it will probably wreck it.

“We’ve been told it will probably last about two or three years if we’re lucky.

“A few of us have started to organise car boot sales which we hope to run every month, but these will not touch the sides really – we need to do something quite big.

“We want to speak to all the people in the town who learned to swim there and feel passionately about children learning to swim because if they knew it could close in the near future maybe they could do something to help.

“It’s really important that we keep this facility in the town – swimming is a fantastic life skill to have.

“I don’t think people realise that once it’s gone it’s gone, and it’s really going to affect children at the school.

“We don’t get any money from the county council to fund the pool even though swimming’s on the National Curriculum, so money comes solely from fundraising and occasionally from the school budget.

“We’re really grateful for grants given to us from the Gooch Trust as well as the National Lottery.”

The pool – Somerset’s oldest community pool – is open to hire at £15 an hour.

Last month, town councillors discussed areas in the town where they might like to apply to South Somerset District Council for Section 106 money, made available from new developments.

Cllr Andrew Shearman suggested money for a new swimming pool, but town and district councillor Cllr Carol Goodall suggested a new pool would be unlikely to be funded.

She said: “The idea of a swimming pool was reported in an SSDC report about the consultation of sport and leisure facilities.

“If people want a swimming pool a request should be lodged with the district council, but I’m not sure if it would be successful because the town may not be large enough, and there are also nearby pools in Crewkerne and Chard.”

It was suggested at the meeting that the town council could apply for Section 106 money to help fund the new roof.

The first car boot sale to raise money foer the pool takes place on Sunday, April 26, from 2pm to 4pm in the school playground.

Sellers pay £5 each and can arrive from 1pm, while entry costs 50p for buyers with children getting in free.