WORCESTER'S MP has hailed a decision by Sport England to give the city £2 million towards its new swimming pool - calling it "fantastic".

Robin Walker has called the lottery funding cash, announced yesterday after months of lobbying, "a huge result for Worcester".

In 2013, when Worcester City Council was embroiled in disagreement over what standard of pool to build the MP consistently urged it to go for broke.

In the end, the Conservative leadership helped convince a majority of councillors to back a top-of-the-range £10.5 million facility at Perdiswell with eight lanes.

But the funding help from Sport England will now cover a fifth of those costs, giving taxpayers an early Christmas present.

Mr Walker said the offer from Sport England was "vindication" of his stance.

"This is a huge result for Worcester," he said.

"I always said we should be as ambitious as possible in order to attract national funding, and now we have a top class facility and the funding to support it.

"Our new swimming pool is being recognised for the strategic asset that it is, and this welcome investment by the national body for sport will help our city council to meet the costs of developing a truly top class facility.

"This is great news for Worcester and for all sports in the city."

"I want to congratulate all those at the council and in Worcester Swimming Club who have campaigned so hard for the right outcome."

The opposition Labour group was calling for a scaled-down, six-lane facility in 2013 but ended up losing control of the authority.

But it wasn't alone in being concerned at the costs of an eight-lane pool, with Green Councillor Neil Laurenson and ex-Lib Dem members saying the same thing.

Sport England has urged people in the city to develop "a lifelong sporting habit" by using the new facility, with bosses at the body saying they were impressed with its potential.

A massive new wing will be built onto Perdiswell Leisure Centre for it, with the rest of the site being completely transformed so it appears virtually unrecognisable compared to now.

Once open in early 2017 the crumbling pool at Sansome Walk will close down and be demolished.