THE Water Place, Bolton's £5 million swimming centre, looks set to close within months. A staggering £4.5 million is needed to bring the town centre leisure complex up to scratch following years of decline.

Council chiefs say they cannot afford to pay for the refurbishment and are likely to opt to bulldoze the building instead. The land, which could be worth £2million, would be sold to a private developer, leaving Bolton without a town centre public swimming pool.

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