A POPULAR leisure centre devastated by fire in December will remain closed for at least another month, the management has said.

Fire crews spent hours tackling the blaze at Lime Kiln Leisure Centre, in Wootton Bassett, on the morning of Saturday, December 18.

The fire started in the sauna and spread to the roof.

Members of the public who were using the centre at the time were evacuated.

Nick Moran, the area manager for DC Leisure, which runs the centre, said the extent of the damage meant it was too early to say when the centre would be fully ready to re-open.

He said: “We had a productive meeting on site with the council to devise an action plan with regards to getting the areas open that haven’t been damaged.

“It is too early to talk about timescales.”

The firm is currently looking into opening parts of the centre not affected by the fire, including the gym, sports hall, squash court, movement studio, two training rooms and the sports hall changing rooms and toilets.

In a statement on the firm’s website, Nick said: “The fire damage is mainly centred on the health suite, male and female swimming changing rooms and main corridor.

“In addition, there is structural ceiling and roof damage in those areas and the swimming pool plant room and heavy smoke pollution to the pool area.

“A number of the services, including water pipes and electricity cables, were located in the ceiling voids of the damaged areas and the full extent of this damage has yet to be established.

“Insurance assessors have visited the site and are preparing their reports.”

“We very much regret the inconvenience that the fire has caused to the many frequent users of Lime Kiln.

“There is a great deal of work taking place in the background to ensure that this inconvenience is kept to a minimum.”

Regular user Sue Hughes, who campaigned to keep the centre open when Wiltshire Council announced it could shut, said she hoped it would open again soon.

The mother-of-two said: “I think first of all seeing it on fire was quite devastating.

“All the things we would not be able to do if it was not there we are experiencing now.

“From my children’s perspective, my youngest was just on the verge of learning to swim and it’s put a stop to all that.

“It’s a spanner in the works but I’m absolutely delighted everybody escaped. I’m hopeful it opens again soon.”

Updates will be posted on the DC Leisure website: www.dcleisurecentres.co.uk under the section for Lime Kiln.