DETERMINED villagers in Backwell are vowing to put up a fight to save Backwell Pool. After attending a meeting at Scotch Horn Leisure Centre to discuss swimming and leisure facilities in the central area of North Somerset, Cllr Colin Pope compiled a repor

DETERMINED villagers in Backwell are vowing to put up a fight to save Backwell Pool.After attending a meeting at Scotch Horn Leisure Centre to discuss swimming and leisure facilities in the central area of North Somerset, Cllr Colin Pope compiled a report for Backwell Parish Council.In it, the parish council's chairman said that two options were being considered, either building a new swimming pool in Nailsea and closing Backwell's, or upgrading the village's leisure centre.He went on to recommended that at least two councillors should join a working party to examine the possibilities, and added: "If this does not happen, there will be a danger that this venture will be driven by Nailsea Town Council, with no input on behalf of the parishioners of Backwell." At a recent meeting of Backwell Parish Council, at which the matter was discussed, Cllr Pope said: "I'm naturally suspicious about what's going on as everyone around this table should be."Development is spreading like a cancer through Farleigh Road. The only thing in the way is Backwell Pool."How many houses could be built on the leisure centre site? Selling it could raise a heck of a lot of money towards a swimming pool in Nailsea."It was painfully obvious to me that the district council is not going to spend any more money on Backwell Pool than it has to."A guesstimate on the evening suggested that a new pool in Nailsea would cost £5million."The most overwhelming response on a questionnaire we recently circulated throughout the village was that 90 per cent of villagers wanted to keep Backwell Pool."Cllr Shirley Pope added: "All of our resources as a council should be put into saving Backwell Pool."Parish councillors voted that Cllr Colin Pope and Cllr Brian Huggins should join the working party.