SWIMMERS have been left high and dry at the Northgate Arena after both of the Chester leisure centre’s pools had to be closed when a heating system broke down.

It could be weeks before the leisure and training pools are back in action after three heater coils broke down, plunging the rooms into freezing temperatures.

The swimming baths and leisure centre, which provide exercise facilities for hundreds of families in the Chester area, will be closed for at least four weeks.

When staff arrived at the centre on December 20, they discovered the heater coils had burst, sending icy water flooding through the fitness suit.

Bathers are being turned away, Aspire swimming lessons have been cancelled, and most of the 30 fitness classes have been moved to other parts of the centre.

The centre is waiting for the large heater coils to be replaced, but it could take weeks as they need to be specially made.

Cheshire West and Chester Council spokeswoman Shirley Wingfield said: “When it happened icy water went straight across the fitness suit.

“We are informing people that the pools are closed, but we are hoping that they will reopen in four weeks time.

“We have had a specialist engineer out and we are now waiting for the coils to be specially manufactured, so it could take longer.”

Northgate Arena leisure centre has over 30 fitness classes a week, including yoga, pilates and circuit training, which would have been packed with people trying to shed those festive pounds in the New Year.

Both the training pool and the main swimming pool will be closed for the foreseeable future, and the aqua aerobic and aqua tone sessions will be cancelled well into the January months.

Direct debit customers have been contacted and payments will be adjusted due to the lack of facilities.