There are choppy waters ahead for swimmers in Oxford after it was revealed there is no cash to build an Olympic-size pool for the city.

The revelation has seriously dented Oxford's chances of hosting international swimmers staying in the UK ahead of the 2012 London Olympics.

The plug was effectively pulled on the 50m pool plan after the cost was estimated at £18m - with no funding available from external sources.

Oxford has only 25m municipal swimming pools, while the UK is woefully short of 50m Olympic-sized pools.

The council revealed it was thinking of building a 50m pool in August.

But this week city councillor Alan Armitage, executive member for healthier environment, said: "We have taken seriously the possibility there might be money available from external bodies, but at this stage we have drawn a blank.

"If we are to continue this, we would have to think about how we could fund it from our own resources. I can't offer the council any particular good news or any promises on this one.

"We could build a basic 50m pool for about £10m with seating for 250, but it would not be a good investment and a proper facility for the Olympics would cost £18m."

Oxford East MP Andrew Smith said: "This will come as a huge disappointment. Even at this stage, I would urge the council to leave no stone unturned in exploring what could be done."

Swimmer Alex Scotcher, 26, from Clanfield, who won gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the Olympics in Melbourne, said: "A 50m pool would be a great training aid. It's understandable the city council feels it cannot pay the entire cost but the facility would make it easier for them to achieve their goals."

Meanwhile, a question mark is hanging over the future of Temple Cowley Pool. Under-funding and maintenance backlogs have meant it running on one boiler instead of three and it will have to close for about a month for a £100,000 refit.

Frans van de Schoot- brugge, chairman of the City of Oxford Swimming Club, said: "It's the only place we can organise meets and that's necessary for us to survive.

"If it's taken away it could mean the end of the club."