THOUSANDS of Drumchapel residents have called on the potential plans to close of the area’s swimming pool to be scrapped.

More than 2,260 people signed a 38 Degrees petition demanding Glasgow Life save the pool, which has been put under threat by future budget cuts.

As previously reported by the Evening Times, the firm refused to rule out closing the Drumry Road East facility prompting outraged locals to brand the move a “betrayal”.

Magdalene Robertson, who set up the petition, said the move would have massive financial repercussions for families in the area - many of whom fall into the country’s lowest deprivation bracket.

She told the Evening Times: “My three-year-old daughter goes to the pool a couple of times a week, I went there growing up, my husband went there growing up – it has a history.

“I grew up in Anniesland and now live in Bearsden but Drumchapel has always been the poorest area, there’s nothing else for it to lose if the pool goes.

“This is a place for all the family, but not all families have cars – they walk or take the bus – and they can’t afford the extra travel costs. It’s not fair on them.”

Ms Robertson’s plight has been backed by the area’s councillor Paul Carey, who demanded Glasgow Life answer residents concerns over the pool’s future.

He said: “Drumchapel has some of the poorest areas within the UK and, given that the First Minister is aiming to tackle the obesity crisis among young people, closing the pool goes against that. I think it’s an absolute disgrace. It betrays the people of Drumchapel.”

Residents in the area were previously embroiled in a long-running campaign for transport to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in the south side until the charity Drift finally received a special permit to introduce a minibus service earlier this year.

However, news of the pool’s potential closure has sparked fears the area’s transport problems will increase.

A spokesman for Drift told the Evening Times: “The people of Drumchapel couldn’t be more isolated if they tried. If they close it with the promise of opening a new, better pool in the area then we’ve got to smash a few eggs to make an omelette but it will leave people without cars with real problems getting to another facility.”

A spokesman for Glasgow Life said: “No decisions have been made. Budget options will be presented early next year.”