Hilsea Lido anti-social behaviour 'devastating'

Anti-social behaviour by youths at a charity-run outdoor pool has been "devastating", volunteers have said.

A lifeguard has been injured, fences have been damaged and swimming lessons have been disrupted at Hilsea Lido in Portsmouth.

The trust that manages the pool said it did not have the resources to deal with the on-going issues, which had left volunteers "pushed to the limit".

Portsmouth City Council said the situation was "unacceptable".

Hilsea Lido, which dates from the 1930s, closed in 2007.

Local residents then formed Hilsea Lido Pool for the People as a registered charity and re-opened it in 2014.

It is now run by volunteers and paid lifeguards.

On 31 May a lifeguard received bruising to her arms when a group of young people tried to push their way in. The trust said she has since been unable to return to the pool.

A security fence recently had to be repaired four times within 36 hours, volunteers running the pool said.

Chair Sabrina Richards said: "It's devastating - I don't think they understand the impact on our volunteers.

"As a trust we don't have much in the way of resources and it's very depressing."

Fellow volunteer Helen Downing-Emms said: "It's not our role to police bored young children who nobody else seems to be taking care of.

"For some reason, at the moment we are the people being targeted."

In a statement, Portsmouth City Council said: "The anti-social behaviour witnessed at Hilsea Lido in the past week has been unacceptable.

"We've worked closely with Hilsea Lido and have already managed to identify some of those responsible."

A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said: "We have had a number of reports between 27 May and 6 June of anti-social behaviour at Hilsea Lido, relating to youths congregating and accessing the swimming pool area without consent during periods of closure."

It added officers were patrolling the area and working with the local authority and the charity "to address the issues longer term".

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