Abingdon Town Council is to pump more money into supporting the town's outdoor swimming pool in a bid to help save it from closure.

The Save the Outdoor Pool (Stop) campaign praised the council move, but warned that the two-month deadline to come up with a long-term business plan was tight.

Although Stop's petition has attracted 2,000 signatures and a campaign by our sister paper, the Abingdon Herald, has received 250 responses, it looks increasingly unlikely that the pool will re-open this summer.

Attendance at Monday night's special town council meeting to discuss the pool and closure of the town's tourist information office was poor, with only 35 people turning up.

Peter Harbour, of Stop, said after the meeting: "We have won our first battle, but not the war. We need more money and the two-month deadline is very, very tight, but we fight on."

The town council will increase its pool subsidy from £14,000 to £35,000.

Council leader Julie Mayhew-Archer said: "Anything less than £35,000 would be a token gesture.

"We need a dialogue with the owners of the pool, the Vale of White Horse District Council, and Stop to see if a business package can be put together."

Conservative Mike Badcock called for the council to agree an annual subsidy of £20,000 for running costs and put in an extra, unspecified amount for capital costs.

After the meeting he said: "By not agreeing to providing help for the pool's capital costs the council has effectively said 'no' to the pool. It won't happen.

"The Liberal Democrats are Patterson's Poodles." Jerry Patterson is the leader of the district council.

But Lib Dem member Peter Green said: "We are putting an extra £21,000 from our reserves on the table and, if an acceptable business plan is approved, then the money can go towards whatever is decided.

"We are trying to facilitate the opening of this pool."

Terry Stock the district council's chief executive, said campaigners had until the end of May to submit a viable plan.

If a plan which met financial and legal requirements was not forthcoming, the pool would not open, he said.

He added: "The Vale is prepared to spend about £100,000 on taking the pool out of commission and coming up with a barmy idea for an awful water feature."