A protest against the continued pool closures in Ceredigion is planned for this Friday.

Parents are being invited to come along and “show their disappointment” at the continued closure of pools across the county, in front of Plascrug Leisure Centre on Friday at 3pm.

Aberystwyth town councillor Alex Mangold is attending the protest and said: “Personally, I think it is a disgrace how the county council have neglected to implement anything for the younger generation or for young children, as we come out of this pandemic.

“The pools are absolutely vital to the community. Learning to swim in a coastal area Is one of the most important skills youngsters need. I think the pools need to reopen as soon as possible.

“I also think more needs to be done by local governments to make up for a lost year - not just in terms of school closures. Children have lost out on so much this past year that it would be good to see Ceredigion County Council invest into children’s mental and physical recovery.”

Dyfed Powys Police said they are ‘aware' of the planned protest.

A spokesperson for Ceredigion County Council said: "As a local authority, we recognise the current difficulties with respect to the pool closures across the county."We are faced with unforeseen challenging mechanical issues at both Plascrug and Lampeter swimming pools, please be assured that we are working to the best of our ability to rectify these as soon as possible in order to once again provide our full range of facilities for the public."Our priority, at both locations, is to provide high-quality and safe facilities. We aim to ensure that residents are able to return to an environment that puts their wellbeing first, whilst ensuring that all health and safety requirements are met."We are currently in discussions with Aberystwyth University with regards to the possibility of utilising their swimming pool for public use whilst Plascrug Leisure Centre is closed. "We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding during this difficult time and will continue to provide updates on the progress made at both Plascrug and Lampeter."