CHILDREN may be left high and dry by Malvern's Splash swimming pool unless they sign up for lessons during the summer holidays.

For the first time, Splash has decided to run swimming classes for youngsters throughout the summer - and parents have been warned that their children could miss out during school term time unless they also sign up over the holiday break.

Mum Liz Witherford, whose daughters Sophie, seven, and Emma, five, have been attending classes at the pool for the past three years, said she was told parents who paid for the summer would get first priority over the pool's popular term-time classes.

"If you're going away on holiday you won't get reimbursed and they refuse to reserve your place," she said.

"Children need a break and so do the parents. On top of exams, the kids don't need the extra pressure of having to go swimming every week of the year.

"Every other children's activity, like the Brownies or the Scouts, breaks off for the school summer holidays and then returns for term time."

Only 800 children have been allowed a place on the swimming classes, which have been run since January at Malvern College because of building work at Splash.

The Priory Road pool, operated by private company Sports and Leisure Management, is due to reopen on Monday, July 21.

General manager at the pool Chris Barley said he believed an extra 1,000 children were interested in taking lessons.

He said he could not guarantee a place for term-time swimming lessons unless a child continued to attend during the summer.

However, he insisted that the extension of lessons was not about making money.

"We want as many people as possible in the community to use the facilities that will be available," he said.

Mr Barley said he hoped there would be enough places available at the refurbished Splash to accommodate all the children. He said the pool would offer a two-week credit to families paying for the summer session who wanted to go on holiday.