PARENTS have been left devastated after sports bosses announced the closure of a popular swimming pool used by hundreds of children.

The Llantarnam Leisure Centre pool at Llantarnam Secondary School will shut at the end of the month ahead of the school’s merger with Fairwater High this autumn.

Council figures show around 600 children take swimming lessons at the centre, which is appreciated for the quality of its tuition and its “fantastic” staff.

Families have blasted the decision to give parents just four weeks to find alternative tuition at other swimming pools.

They fear there may not be enough places to accommodate them despite being referred to the three Torfaen pools situated at Cwmbran Stadium and leisure centres in Fairwater and Pontypool.

A 42-year-old mum, who did not want to be named, said: "Llantarnam Leisure Centre and its staff are quite frankly the best swimming instructors around and whilst it's clear the pool is beyond saving there are many, many parents who feel very strongly about its closure."

Parents received an email advising them the pool would shut on March 31 last Wednesday [March 4].

The leisure centre, which has provided fitness, dance and martial arts classes, is to close at the end of April.

The merged school called Cwmbran High is to open on the Fairwater High site in September.

Council chiefs approved the merger to reduce the number of surplus school places in Torfaen.

A Torfaen council spokesman said: “The decision to close the pool was taken by the school’s governing body who are managing the phased closure of Llantarnam leisure centre which will take place at the end of the May. The school itself will remain open until the end of the academic year and part of it for GCSE/A Level results day in August.

“From September 2015, Llantarnam and Fairwater schools will be replaced by the new Cwmbran High School on the existing Fairwater site. This decision was made as part of the council’s 21st Century schools programme and will see more than £6 million invested in the Fairwater site.

“We are clearly sympathetic to the concerns raised about the loss of the pool facility and parents have been provided with details of alternative swimming provision provided by the Torfaen Leisure Trust in the area. At this time there are no confirmed plans for the future of the Llantarnam site and buildings.”