ONE of the last lidos in Wales will be filled in this spring if a planned deal to save it falls by the wayside.

The local authority is denying backing out of the agreement to help campaigners trying to save one of the last of the historic outdoor pools in Wales.

The pool at Hendy, near Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, has not been in use since 2002, and needs to be completely rebuilt if it is to be put back in operation.

But locals are still hopeful it can be restored to its former glory if enough investment is thrown its way.

They have had a series of meetings with Carmarthenshire County Council about the possibility, and attracted thousands in potential funding.

But they say they have been badly let down by council decisions and say previous promises of financial help - including an alleged £65,000 - have been withdrawn.

However the Carmarthenshire authority says no such agreement was ever made. It says the pool would cost many times that amount to rebuild and that the money will have to be raised from grants and other sources.

A letter sent out on Friday from Hendy Pool and Park Committee chairman Calfyn Evans to other supporters said, "At a meeting on December 13 2006, the County Council made it clear that they have no plans to reopen the pool, or indeed to apply for any funding for such a project and stated the pool and park could be leased off them.

"If we still want a pool then it seems that it is up to us as a community to raise the funds and ultimately manage the project.

"This would require considerable commitment from all involved in terms of time and input and responsibility, as it will entail setting up a charitable company, making grant applications and, if successful, managing a facility and acting as an employing body."

Committee member Steve Lloydjanes also accused the council of reneging on a promise to pay £65,000 towards the cause during the December meeting.

However Clive Scourfield, the council's executive board member for regeneration, yesterday insisted no offer of £65,000 had ever been made.

He said, "Last year we offered the pool to them for £1.

"They said a local contractor could put a new one in for £65,000.

"I told them it would be more likely to be much more, but that if it could be done then that would be an appealing prospect.

"But all I can do as executive board member is approve grants.

"I don't have a budget that I can give, and could never commit the council to £65,000. I never made such an offer."

He also said the council had researched the costs of a new pool fully compliant with disability rights and it was far in excess of what the committee had discussed.

Councillor Scourfield said, "Three estimates were sought for the cost of a new pool, all of which were between about £430,000 and £450,000.

"We've also looked for grant sources."

He said such sums could not be justified with a pool expected to attract less than 3,000 visitors per year, when leisure centres, attracting hundreds of thousands, also had to be paid for.

Mr Scourfield also said the county council could not be the lead applicant for any grants, as maintenance costs would run too high for its stretched leisure budget.

The committee are now being given until May to find out whether Hendy Community Council can manage any new versions of the pool.

He added, "We need to give it to May to give the community council a chance to look at it.

"If the pool is closed we'll have to landscape the area, and review what to do with it."