A SWIMMING club forced to move more than a year ago says it is still struggling to offer its members pool time.

Forward Hillingdon had been based at Yiewsley Pool in Otterfield Road for 30 years.

When the pool closed last year, the club split its session between the pools at the new leisure centres in Uxbridge and in Hayes.

But now it claims its time in the water has shrunk by half.

Krystyna Henderson, Forward Hillingdon’s chairwoman, said: “We were able to swim for six hours a week in Yiewsley. Now we can’t get the pool time and it’s a pity.

“We get three hours a week now and the kids are missing out.”

The club trains for an hour on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon at Hillingdon leisure centre in Gatting Way, Uxbridge, and for an hour on Wednesday evening at Botwell Green leisure centre in East Avenue, Hayes.

Ms Henderson said: “We are doing very well and are very competitive but we are not able to offer our members as much time as we would like.”

At one stage in Yiewsley the club had about 75 members but numbers have dwindled to 30 committed swimmers.

She added:“Another difficulty is that we can’t offer lessons to beginners because Uxbridge pool is too deep.”

The popularity of the £32 million Hillingdon leisure centre means swimming teams from far and wide compete for space.

Hillingon Council has offered to arrange for Forward Hillingdon to meet up with leisure centre manager Wayne Hawkins to discuss finding the group extra pool time.