CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Temple Cowley Pools in Oxford have entered the record books – by submitting 126 questions to council leaders who decided to close the leisure facility.

Protesters said the number of questions over the closure, to be followed by a £16m new 25-metre pool in Pegasus Road, Blackbird Leys, shows the scale of unanswered questions.

Twenty people submitted the questions to today’s meeting of the council’s executive.

A 10,000-name petition handed to the council in October calling for the Temple Road pools to be saved will be considered at the meeting.

Questions cover issues such as the size of the new pool and whether it is value for money.

Campaigner Jane Alexander, from Headington, said: “The extraordinary number of questions shows council leaders that it is now time they woke up and started listening to the public.

“I thought council leaders would change their minds once they realised the strength of feeling on this subject, but so far, that has not been the case.”

The council says the Cowley complex, which has a £2.6m maintenance backlog, has reached the end of its life.

It says it is more cost-effective to build a new pool next to Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre. The neighbouring Blackbird Leys pool will also close.

Council spokesman Chris Lee added: “This is the highest number of questions councillors have had to deal with on a single issue.”

Van Coulter, executive member for leisure, said: “Some of the questions raise very good points, but there is a degree of repetition in others.

“I will respond to all the questions in writing at the meeting.”

Meanwhile, Saj Malik, Labour city councillor for Cowley Marsh ward, has delivered a letter to 1,500 residents on why the council was closing the pools. But campaigners have questioned the contents such as the description of both pools as “poor”. Mr Malik said he did not intended the letter to “mislead” residents.

The new facility is planned to be open in time for the Olympics if funding is approved by the council next month.