TWO Oxford swimming pools had to close during peak hours for safety reasons.

Barton pool and Ferry Sports Centre pool were closed because of a shortage of lifeguards - leaving about 150 swimmers high and dry.

Steve Holt, leisure manager at Oxford City Council, said: "It's with regret that we had to temporarily close the pools due to lifeguard shortage, but we always put safety first. Barton was temporarily closed on Saturday, October 13, and Ferry pool was temporarily closed the next day, but its leisure centre remained opened.

"We are required to have a minimum of two lifeguards working on poolside and one off poolside to operate the pool with low levels of bathers. As soon as we were aware that we were unable to get adequate cover, we took the difficult decision to close the pools."

The council blamed staff sickness for there not being enough lifeguards at the Barton pool, in Waynflete Road, and Ferry Sports Centre in Diamond Place, Summertown.

Council deputy leader David Rundle said: "I'm asking for a full assessment of what occurred.

"I have been promised it's very rare and we need to make sure we're doing everything we can to avoid it."