An angry mother has hit out at the state of Central Park Swimming Pool after the council closed it following the discovery of the killer lung bug legionella.

The pool, in Gooshays Drive Harold Hill, was closed after tests revealed dangerous levels of the bacteria, which can cause legionnaires disease, in the hot water system.

The news prompted one mother, who takes her child to the pool for swimming lessons, to hit out, claiming the pool has been allowed to fall into disrepair following the decision to build a new one next door.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "I'm not surprised they've found this bug, the changing rooms are absolutely disgusting. I'm very angry that people are being put at risk like this.

"It would be a very serious infection to catch especially for all the children who are in their with vulnerable immune systems. The pool has been allowed to run down just because the council is building a new one."

A Havering Council spokesman denied the pool had been neglected and added: "The changing rooms are cleaned five times a day and records are kept. However, the changing rooms are in a very dilapidated state due to their age - this is one of the reasons the centre is being built next door."

Havering Council's chief executive Stephen Evans played down the chances of anyone who has used the pool becoming infected with legionella.

He said: "A programme of testing has identified the presence of a variant of legionella in the hot water system of Central Park Pool. No legionella has been found in the pool itself. The council has taken the decision to close the pool as a precautionary measure, whilst necessary works are carried out."

Published Wednesday June 9, 2004

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