A private company investigating the possibility of building a swimming pool in Swaffham has shied away from the project.Marian Clements, chairman of the Swaffham and District Swimming Pool Association (SPA), which has been pushing for more than a decade to see a pool built in the town, said the unnamed company had blamed the recession for its decision.

A private company investigating the possibility of building a swimming pool in Swaffham has shied away from the project.

Marian Clements, chairman of the Swaffham and District Swimming Pool Association (SPA), which has been pushing for more than a decade to see a pool built in the town, said the unnamed company had blamed the recession for its decision.

But Mrs Clements said the SPA committee, back to full strength after appointing a new secretary and treasurer at its recent meeting, were determined to see the pool built in the coming five years.

Members are awaiting the results of a district council commissioned feasibility study looking at leisure facilities throughout Breckland, before deciding on their next move.

Mrs Clements said: 'There is a budget for leisure and we want to ensure that Swaffham gets its fair share and we want to see what help we can expect.

'If we do not get any help we will have to again look at private sources.'

The dream of having a pool in Swaffham moved a step closer to becoming reality late last year after Swaffham Town Council completed the purchase of a piece of land between the Ecotech Centre and the A47.

The �70,000 deal secured land on which to build the facility and allowed the SPA to seek a private company to build and run the proposed complex.

The SPA has looked at various sources of funding to build the pool and gym complex, which could cost up to �3m, but it is likely to fall to a private company to run the facility in the long-term.

Once funding has been found

for the build, it is estimated it

will take about 18 months to complete.

For more information go to www.swimmingatswaffham.co.uk