Vandals trash children's swimming pool

CHILDREN’S swimming lessons were cancelled after vandals trashed a community pool.

A window was smashed, tills were damaged and cash was taken in the raid at School of Swimmers in Dinnington.

Barbara Wilding, who runs the facility, said she had to cancel children’s lessons for two nights after the raid last Monday until forensic officers had been and the damage had been tidied up.

Ms Wilding (44), who has been running lessons at the pool since April 2012, said: “It’s just so demoralising because I run the business on my own and I run it purely for the benefit of the community.

“I don’t know if it’s more of a vindictive act towards me because they didn’t actually take anything other than a tiny bit of cash from the till and they left some on the side.”

Ms Wilding teaches up to 300 children every week, ranging from two-and-a-half to 12 years old.

She also runs lessons for adults to learn to swim at the Low Common Road facility.

“I do what I do for the good of the community and I can’t believe people would stoop so low when it is a facility for them,” Ms Wilding said.

“I am here for the community and it costs around £100,000 per year to run the pool.

“I work 12 to 13 hours, six days a week and I’ve got a family of my own so I’m finding it all extremely difficult to deal with.

“Everything I put into the pool comes out of my own pocket and all of the repairs to the damage caused will be funded by me as well because I can’t afford to claim on the insurance.”

Ms Wilding has released a CCTV image of one man seen inside the facility during the break-in.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman asked anyone with information about the raid or who recognises the man in the CCTV image to get in touch by calling 101.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.