WITH no treasurer to look after finances at a community swimming pool in Chudleigh, its future opening this summer hangs in the balance.

The Chudleigh Community Project, which run the town's outdoor pool at Chudleigh Primary School through the summer months, is urgently looking for a new treasurer to help with the day-to-day handling of finance. It also needs a committed chairman after the last chairman moved away to the US.

The planned opening date of the pool on May 17 could therefore be at risk.

The pool, which was opened in 1997, is operated by the community project and is funded with a grant from Chudleigh Parish Council. Last year the pool had some financial backing from Teignbridge Council; however, to keep the pool up to standard, the project does a lot of fundraising.

In November, it holds a firework evening and, throughout the year, collaborates with Villages in Action, and split whatever is made.

Chris Evans, secretary of Chudleigh Community Project, is urging people to come forward to help with the committee and fundraising.

'Three people are leaving the committee. We need a treasurer and Di Shears and Bob Smith, who are council representatives, are also going,' he says. 'We need people with fresh ideas to form a strong committee, but without a treasurer in our committee the pool will not be able to run smoothly.'

Mr Evans said: 'The swimming pool is used by a wide variety of people, from pupils at Chudleigh Primary School and the general public.

'It is also available for public hire.'

However, without volunteers, users of the pool may no longer be able to use the facility throughout the summer months when it usually opens every day.