Carlisle swimming pool vandalised for fifth time in year

Staff at Morton Pool were left dismayed when on Wednesday they opened up the pool to find that a ninth window had been smashed in the space of two weeks.

A spokeswoman for GLL said: “We’re very disappointed at the damage caused. Every time such an incident occurs it means hundreds of children have their swimming lessons cancelled.

“This is a true community facility which is very well supported and which provides valuable life skills for children through swimming lessons plus an extensive swimming programme for many different users including many disability groups.

“We’re a not-for-profit company with surpluses we make reinvested back into facilities. This means that every time we have to spend money replacing windows and clearing up this impacts our ability to invest into the centre.

“The latest damaged happened on Tuesday night. Several windows were smashed including some in the pool hall.

“We want all our customers to enjoy their visit. The community can help by reporting any anti-social behaviour or damage to staff or the police promptly.”

Carlisle city councillor James Bainbridge, whose new ward of Sandsfield and Morton West encompasses the pool, commented: “I’m so disappointed that once again the Morton Leisure Centre has found itself taking the brunt of vandalism. This is a facility open to the community who will once again have been disrupted by this stupidity.

“I hope the perpetrators will be tracked down and prosecuted, so that the staff of the leisure centre can get on with delivering services for Morton West residents.

“I also want to meet with GLL and the local police to see how we can tackle this in support of users”

A statement from Cumbria Police said: "Police are investigating criminal damage at Morton Leisure Centre between 9pm on the 24th and 8am on the 25th May.

“The swimming pool main windows were smashed."

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting log 60 of May 25.