MORE than 150 people crowded into Ashburton town hall to show their support to keep the town's pool open.

Organisers of the pool's friends' group have only a few months to put together a business plan which will allow them to take over running the outdoor heated pool after Teignbridge Council confirmed it is to withdraw funding from 2016.

The authority has appointed an independent consultant, Len Croney, to advise the group how to proceed.