AN ANDOVER pensioner who has raised thousands of pounds through sponsored swims over the last 30 years says he “doesn’t know what to do” while the town’s swimming pool is closed.

89-year-old Laurie Broadhurst, pictured, also believes the disruption at Andover Leisure Centre will be “detrimental to his health”.

The Advertiser understands that new providers, Places for People, plan to close Andover's swimming pool when it takes over the facility from Valley Leisure on April 1.

The company will then being their phased work on its new multi-million pound leisure facility, which will be built on the current site.

But Mr Broadhurst, who has completed an annual sponsored swim at Andover Leisure Centre for more than 30 years, says he is worried about how the disruption will impact on his life.

In a letter sent to the Advertiser, the life-long Andoverian said: “Every day I go down the town I see friends and they ask me ‘what are you going to do when they close the pool?’.

“The answer is I just don’t know.

“I swim early in the morning and have some great friends down there.

“They helped me through the loss of my wife 12-years-ago and always greet me with a great smile we have a good social gathering five times a week.

“I feel (being without a pool) will be detrimental to my health and to those of my friends as I am unable to travel to other facilities and feel that my life will be affected.”

Mr Broadhurst, who has suffered three heart attacks, has raised thousands of pounds for the British Heart Foundation through his sponsored swim events.

He has recently been raising money for the Countess of Brecknock Hospice.

Mr Broadhurst, a retired bus inspector, fears that the impending pool disruption may force him to miss out on a sponsored swim this year.

However he says is determined to organise one prior to the pool’s closure.

He said: “I’m going to speak to the hospice to see if I can get one organised before April 1.

“I can’t do without it. It’s a part of my life.”

Once built, the new Andover Leisure Centre will include an “improved” swimming pool provision, sports hall and a 165-station fitness suite.

Other planned changes to the facility, which will be smaller than its predecessor in terms of floor space, include moving the disabled car parking spaces to the facility’s new entrance.

Places for People has previously said in a statement that it is looking forward to working closely alongside Test Valley Borough Council to ensure it offers a leisure service that meets and exceeds community needs.