Hopes for a new swimming pool at South Woodham Ferrers have been bolstered by financial backing from the county council.

The council agreed to match the £750,000 already earmarked for the project by the borough council and £100,000 from South Woodham Ferrers Town Council.

The money brings the total to half the estimated £3.2 million cost of the pool which means project organisers can now apply for a grant from the Lottery Sports Fund.

Work on the application is set to begin immediately with the aim of processing the matched funds attempt early next year.

It is hoped that if all goes ahead the pool will be completed, on land at William de Ferrers School in the centre of the town, by 2002.

The scheme would provide a six-lane pool, 25 metres long with a moveable floor to make it either deep or shallow as required.

Leader of the borough council, Phil Harvey, said it was encouraging the project could now move on to its next stage.

"This is a major step towards achieving our aim of providing a much-needed swimming pool facility for South Woodham Ferrers."

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