OXFORD City Council has been forced to spend £65,000 on new boilers to heat Temple Cowley Pool, because the current temperature is too cold for swimmers.

The pool - home to City of Oxford Swimming Club - has been heated by only one boiler since two others broke down.

It is in urgent need of repairs and maintenance and has been without a diving pool for two years.

Mags Mernagh, the city council's new leisure services manager, revealed the authority would be paying for new boilers to ensure the facility could stay open throughout the winter months.

There had been fears the popular facility could close temporarily because the water temperature in the pool - currently heated by the solitary boiler - was starting to drop rapidly.

Ms Mernagh said: "We can't allow children in to swim.

"It's OK for teenagers, probably, but we couldn't let babies in, so urgent action is required otherwise we would be closed.

"We are at the stage where we would lose more money unless we got the boilers in there now.

"Temple Cowley is our second busiest sports centre, so there is a need for a centre in that area.

"From time to time there are rumours (about Temple Cowley Pool closing) - nobody has said it is closing and we have no plans to close Temple Cowley."

Work will begin on Monday, October 23, and last four days.

The pool will remain open throughout the work.