Bristol's Jubilee Swimming Pool in Knowle and Bishopsworth pool are to remain open – for the time being.

This is because of the delays to work on the Olympic-sized swimming pool in Hengrove.

It was due to open in autumn next year but it will now not welcome its first customers until early in 2011.

Simon Cook, deputy leader of Bristol City Council under the new Liberal Democrat regime, has now confirmed that the two existing pools will stay open for a while longer.

The news has been welcomed by people who use the pools.

Linda Hunt, 38, lives in Alexandra Road in Bedminster Down and is delighted by the news.

It takes her 10 minutes to walk to the Bishopsworth pool with her two sons, Matthew, 11, and William, eight.

Linda, who has lived in the area since 1971 and used the pool since she was a child, said: "Even if it is just open for a extra few months, that will be great. It is nice to have something local.

"I am not against the Hengrove pool because I think it will be good for the people there, but why can't we keep our pool too?

"Both my boys are getting on really well and we go every Tuesday. The pool is so busy, it would be a shame to close it."

Her sons are at Cheddar Grove Primary, and in Year Four the children go for swimming lessons at the pool.

Valerie Clarke lives in Yatton Close in Bishopsworth. She is retired but helps out at Cheddar Grove school.

She said: "Two of my granddaughters go to the school and have benefited from having swimming lessons in Year Four at the pool. Their mother and my son also used to swim there when they were little. The children would need a bus to get to Hengrove – it would not be as good."

Bishopsworth councillor Richard Eddy said: "I take no delight in the news that the Hengrove Leisure Pool has been put further off – it has been a long-term council aspiration and when it is built it will be great for Bristol and beyond.

"But for people in Bishopsworth and Knowle it is also good news. It is a stay of execution for the pools. Both are well used by local people, and with the free swimming scheme there is even more demand for pools in South Bristol.

"Could the pools have long-term futures? With this extra time, I think their fate should be reassessed."

Knowle councillor Gary Hopkins said: "It is true that there are problems with the Jubilee pool. The best thing about it is that it is local, but we do want to build a replacement.

"But for the time being, this is good news for the people of Knowle."