A BROKEN knee won't keep Atherton's oldest swimmer out of the plunge or prevent her fighting to save her favourite pool.

At the incredible age of 98 Martha Hatton today hopes to take her first dip of the year at Atherton Baths.

Sprightly Martha, who is as old as the baths themselves, is one of a strong pensioner group which takes a weekly lunchtime swim at Mayfield Street.

But they fear Martha will have to celebrate her centenary with a ton-up dip elsewhere they reckon indications suggest the baths could have shut, robbing them of the chance to toast a milestone double.

"We don't want the baths to close," said Martha, of Car Bank Street, Atherton, who took up the sport in her late seventies to keep fit.

She is 'chauffeured' to the pool by fellow swimmer and neighbour, Peter McCoy, 76, of Gloucester Street, Atherton, who has Mayfield Street water in his blood.

He has been a regular at the pool where his father, Andrew, was baths superintendent for 32 years from 1929-1961.

In spite of undergoing seven heart by-pass operations and a knee reconstruction, former mill overlooker Peter now swims 10 lengths, twice a week.

He said: "A lot of older people use these baths and if they go they'll be sadly missed. Some even come from Bolton because they don't like the modern pool there.

"The council won't spend any money on Atherton now. We were promised a cafe in 1930, but we're still waiting.

"If this pool closes it will be a great loss to the town."

Martha, who will be 99 in July, is one of 12 children born at Chequerbent, and her sole surviving sister, Frances, 104, lives in Manor Fold elderly persons home in Atherton.

The mother of three said: "I took up swimming when I was quite old. I used to go to Atherton Liberal Club to play dominoes and some friends there could swim and some couldn't. I pestered them to teach me, so they did.

"The four of us decided to get fit, and I have continued with the help of Peter, who drives me there, and the staff who help me walk on the wet sides."

The baths' connection runs in the family. Martha's niece Joanne O'Donnell is senior duty manager at both Atherton and Tyldesley Baths.

Martha said: "I fell and broke my kneecap when I was 83 and now it has broken again, so I haven't been in the water yet this year.

"I go when the weather is warmer because it keeps me fit, and I'm planning this for Friday.

"I don't do so much these days, only across and back. But I have lost a lot of weight now so I'll float better."

The Atherton pool is currently under review by the council's leisure and culture committee to see if it can afford the continuing maintenance costs and upkeep of the building.

Atherton Swimming Club secretary, Lev Baddley, said recently: "Plans for next year's celebrations are well under way and we hope they will go ahead."

He said if the council does decide to close the doors, a campaign will be launched to save the historic pool.

A council spokesman said: "There is a review of all our leisure department assets including pools currently going on accross the borough.

"It will identify what level of investment is needed.

"We have a lot of ageing buildings but no decisions have been made." Sprightly Martha, who is as old as the baths themselves, is one of a strong pensioner group which takes a weekly lunchtime swim at Mayfield Street.

But they fear Martha will have to celebrate her centenary with a ton-up dip elsewhere as indications suggest the baths could have shut, robbing them of the chance to toast a milestone double.

"We don't want the baths to close," said Martha, of Car Bank Street, Atherton, who took up the sport in her late seventies to keep fit.

She is 'chauffeured' to the pool by fellow swimmer and neighbour, Peter McCoy, 76, of Gloucester Street, Atherton, who has Mayfield Street water in his blood.

He has been a regular at the pool where his father, Andrew, was baths superintendent for 32 years from 1929-1961.

In spite of undergoing seven heart by-pass operations and a knee