A SWIMMING pool at a Worcestershire leisure centre is being closed for three weeks for essential maintenance. 

The pool at the Malvern Splash Leisure Complex is being closed at the end of this month so that "essential maintenance" can take place to improve the facilities.

The work will involve necessary roof repairs to the building as well as the installation of new solar panels which should save the centre tens of thousands of pounds each year.

Rob Tyler, area manager at Freedom Leisure who run the Malvern Splash on behalf of Malvern Hills District Council, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Malvern Hills District Council on this project to improve the efficiency of Malvern Splash.

"Our team have been working hard to secure alternative swimming provision during this period to ensure our customers still have the opportunity to stay active.

"We thank our customers for their patience and continued support."

The pool will be closed for three weeks from September 23 but work on the roof is expected to continue until December 20. 

The work will reduce energy consumption and the carbon footprint of the Malvern Splash and is estimated to decrease the centre's energy consumption by 40% and nearly £50,000 per year. 

Councillor John Gallagher, portfolio holder for resources at Malvern Hills District Council, said: "We are pleased to be working with Freedom Leisure to help reduce energy costs, as well as carbon footprint, at Malvern Splash.

"We hope the improvements will help keep this much-loved facility running to a high standard.

"We thank residents in advance for their patience and we apologise for any disruption when the works are being done”.

Though work on the roof will take much longer than the three weeks that the pool is closed for, a spokesperson for Freedom Leisure said the work "is not anticipated to involve any additional closures beyond the initial pool shutdown".