VILLAGERS campaigning to reopen Hornby swimming pool say well-wishers have pledged more than £26,000 to their appeal.

Since the pool's closure in March, swimmers and supporters have set up the Lune Valley Community Society in their bid to take ownership of the pool.

People across the community have been invited to pledge their financial support, at £25 per share, with the money to be paid upon the pool's hoped-for transfer to the community society. The fundraising target is £30,000.

Bob McGachie and Roger Carter, leading lights in the campaign group, said official approval was still awaited from Lancashire County Council for the pool to be transferred to community ownership. They said a final decision had been promised for November. An extension of the pool's 'mothball' period has also been granted until the end of March.

Meanwhile, a party night at Arkholme Village Hall with rock-and-roll band The Jetsons is being planned for Saturday, January 27, 2018, to help swell the appeal.

A sponsored swimathon is also in the offing, with teams and individual swimmers invited to swim the equivalent of the River Lune's 53-mile length in Hornby pool upon its hoped-for reopening.

For share pledges, sponsorship or newsletter updates, email lunevalleycs@gmail.com or call 01524-805666.