TRUSTEES of Cardigan Swimming Pool are celebrating after winning the regional final of a national competition and £12,500 by a handful of votes following a “massive” community response from the town.

The pool volunteers, seeking the cash from the M&S Energy Fund to install solar PV and slash running costs, had made an impassioned public appeal for votes last month.

And the Cardigan public responded in sufficient numbers to push Cardigan Swimming Pool into first place in the Wales and South West regional final following a nail-biting climax.

“It was unbelievably close,” trustee Sharon Griffiths told the Cambrian News. “In the end it boiled down to a two-horse race between us and an animal sanctuary in Gloucester.

“While I feel sorry for them, I’m absolutely elated that people in Cardigan got behind our campaign and gave us those all-important votes.

“We had people voting from as far away as Australia – to me that underlines the huge affection there is for the town pool from anyone who has a link with Cardigan.

“I’m 43 and can remember the Friday night discos that were held at the pool. The place means a heck of a lot to so many people and when word spread that it was in dire straits the people of Cardigan decided to act.”

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