A FACEBOOK Community Group called “Woking says NO to closing Pool in the Park” has grown to 2,000 members in little more than four days.

The phased closure of Pool in the Park over three years, beginning with the Leisure Lagoon, is one of the headline casualties in the programme of cuts presented by Woking Borough Council’s ruling Liberal Democrats to tackle the severe financial challenges facing the council.

Woking MP Jonathan Lord has welcomed the strong support among residents demanding to save the pool after the Conservative group on the council came out strongly against the proposed closure.

Mr Lord said: “The response from residents has been overwhelming. There is a clear message from the people of Woking that they do not want this facility to close.

“For 1,500 people to have signed a petition and 2,000 to have joined the campaign in such a short space of time is remarkable. If the council is to represent us then it absolutely must listen to residents and stop this damaging closure, which will affect so many people.

“I was down at the pool on Friday listening to what residents have to say and there’s no doubt the council needs to think again.

“There is no way they can ignore the level of feeling we are seeing at the moment, so all options and avenues for saving this facility must be pursued because once it’s closed, it is almost certainly gone forever.”

The group can be found at facebook.com/groups/savethepoolinthepark. A petition has been set up at www.change.org/p/save-woking-pool-keep-woking-healthy-and-children-swimming