A TEMPORARY operator has been found for a community pool which closed two weeks ago.

Hindley Pool on Borsdane Avenue will be run by Inspiring healthy lifestyles after it was transferred to Wigan Council yesterday, Tuesday.

The local authority said the charitable trust will open the pool and manage it temporarily while a formal management agreement is put in place.

Community group Hindley Phoenix was running the facility since 2013 but the group disbanded earlier this month and insolvency practitioners were called in.

Wigan Council leader Cllr David Molyneux said: “The good news for residents is the pool will be reopened and as Inspiring healthy lifestyles already manage the majority of our leisure services in Wigan and Leigh they are ready to move in and start operating.

“As part of the Deal, we’re committed to supporting people to live healthier, happier lives and we will be investing in Hindley Pool and adding to the wonderful leisure offer we have in the borough.”

Inspiring healthy lifestyles will assess the facility and its condition before calculating how long maintenance will take to reopen the pool for customers.

Managing director of Inspiring healthy lifestyles Pete Burt said: “We are delighted to be appointed as the new operators of Hindley Pool and look forward to the agreement being finalised.

“In the meantime we’re putting together an exciting programme which will see an increase in the amount of time people can access the pool for casual swimming, there will also be more classes available on our Learn To Swim programme and we’ll also be accommodating more club swimming as well as current school bookings.

“We already manage Hindley Leisure Centre which means pool users and gym users will get greater opportunities to access health and fitness opportunities at both sites.

"We know how highly the local community value their swimming pool and we’ll work round the clock to open it at the earliest possible opportunity.”