YOUNG swimmers are having to make a 36-mile round trip to train because the Waterfront's moveable pool floor is broken.

Inverclyde Amateur Swimming Club, who train national champions, are suffering major disruption as a result.

Their prospects are no longer able to train properly in Greenock because the training pool floor can no longer be lowered to allow swimmers to dive in.

Instead the club are having to make repeated trips to use facilities in East Dunbartonshire.

The moveable pool broke last year and is now stuck at a shallow depth of under one metre.

Fellow swimmers the Inverclyde Masters are also warning they may have to cancel a major event which attracts swimmers from abroad.

Leisure bosses are coming under pressure to act but there are no signs that it is going to be fixed any time soon.

Jennifer Garrity, president of the amateur swimming club, said: "Not being able to dive is having a huge effect on swimmer development, especially within the younger age groups, and this was apparent at our recent club championships.

"We have organised a number of sessions at Drumchapel pool for the younger members to give them some dive experience but it’s no substitute for regular practice.

"The water depth is also impacting on our performance group as we enter the busiest competitive part of the year.

"The lack of diving facilities and opportunities to practice starts, proper turns and relay takeovers will have a detrimental effect on their performance and it’s unfair they are disadvantaged due to poor facilities in their local authority area."

It has been reported it would cost around £250,000 to repair the floor in Waterfront Leisure Centre.

The centre is also in need of a new boiler and other refurbishments as well.

Inverclyde Masters, who have members aged 17 to 85, are also concerned.

President Tommy Sharkey fears their annual competition in September, which attracts people from abroad, may be affected this year.

He said: "Last year approximately 130 people took part including swimmers from Spain.

"There is no guarantee of the floor being fixed in time for the event.

"It is threatened with cancellation.

"This would also mean lost revenue for Inverclyde Leisure."

Councillor Lynne Quinn is putting pressure on council and leisure bosses to get on with the repairs alongside fellow Gourock independent Ronnie Ahlfeld, who sits on Inverclyde Leisure's board.

She said: "It is absolutely ridiculous that we have swimming facilities in Inverclyde and our young swimmers are having to go out of the area. "What is the point in that?

"We need to get this fixed."

Inverclyde Leisure was unable to give a commitment on when the pool floor will be fixed.

A spokesman said: "We can confirm that the movable floor at the Waterfront pool is currently out of commission and is set at 0.8 metres to allow all recreational swimmers, school lessons, clubs and IL lessons to continue their programmed lane swimming sessions.

"We are currently in ongoing talks with Inverclyde Council on the possibility of a future replacement strategy. "