The open-air swimming pool at Carterton is to close at the end of the summer, because of high running costs.

The 30-year-old facility will shut down on September 7.

An indoor pool will open shortly afterwards at the town's new leisure centre.

The closure follows a troubled time for pools throughout the county.

South Oxfordshire District Council decided to close the Riverside pool at Wallingford due to the high cost of repairing flood damage, while pools at Hinksey in Oxford, and Banbury have closed for repairs.

Abingdon pool was closed following complaints about children grazing their feet on the bottom of the pool.

Carterton's mayor Keith Stone said: "The pool needs extensive, costly refurbishment, and it looks as if revenue losses will increase significantly."

Estimates for renovating the Swinbrook Road pool are £100,000 -- equivalent to an extra £25 on council tax for each household in the town. It costs £25,000 a year to keep the pool open from May to September.

Half of this is paid for through town rates and half from a grant by West Oxfordshire District Council.

The Carterton pool is one of three open-air pools in West Oxfordshire.

The other two, at Chipping Norton and Woodstock, are run by the district council.

Council leader Barry Norton said they were keeping their options open on Chipping Norton, following the construction of a new indoor pool.

He added: "We will be evaluating the usage of the open-air pool at the end of the season."

No decision has been made about Woodstock where "significant" costs will have to be incurred on improvements, added Mr Norton.