A Downend swimming teacher has warned the continued closure of community pools will leave many children in Bristol unable to learn how to swim.

Jane Short, 44, who has run First Stroke Swimming School for 14 years, said her business and others will be sunk when the pool at Oasis Academy, Hengrove, is bulldozed in July.

Ms Short, who hires the pool in the evenings to give lessons, said swimming was not made enough of a priority by schools or councils and as a result many children are unable to paddle even a short distance.

She said: "There used to be a pool at Withywood, in Hartcliffe and Brislington but one by one they have been closed down. There have been fantastic academies built in their places but without swimming pools.

"I know it is quite a luxury to have a pool in a secondary school but community pools are also closing such as in Shirehampton and Speedwell.

"Part of the national curriculum requires all children to be able to swim 25 metres by Year 6 bit it's getting to the stage when pupils come into Year 7 and still can't swim."

The swimming teacher said the lack of provision was not helping the obesity crisis among youngsters.

"Community pools were in places kids could walk to and then enjoy", she said. "The new pools in leisure centres aren't that easy to get to without a car. They are also huge Olympic sizes with everything going on at once. Children don't have the independence and have to be driven there or they don't go at all.

"Obese children can swim because they are supported in water. It's good that 'exercise-money' is spent on football pitches but not every child can run around. Swimming is an important skill to have and to have the appropriate safety knowledge and health benefits that go with it. Schools should put more value in it."

A 45-strong adult swimming group based at Hengrove will also close when the pool shuts and Ms Short said this would add to the hundreds of names already on council-pool waiting lists for swimming.

"There is nothing wrong with Hengrove, but the developers carrying out the school project don't want to take on the responsibility of the pool."

James Easey, spokesman for Bristol City Council, said encouraging swimming was a top priority for council.

He said: "We have completed a feasibility study for a new swimming pool for East Bristol at the Brunel Academy and we intend to deliver this over the planning period.

"We plan to continue the refurbishment of Bristol South Pool and carry out feasibility studies for two new pools in Knowle and Shirehampton and of course there is a multi-million pound development at Hengrove Park which includes a swimming pool."