THE father of a terminally ill boy has slammed Bromsgrove's Dolphin Centre, which he claims fails to meet new disability legislation.

Thirteen-year-old Tom Barber is severely disabled with muscular dystrophy. The youngster wanted to come to Bromsgrove for a swim but when his father Gerald contacted the leisure centre and explained his son's condition, he was told to take him somewhere else.

"Tom needs a proper hoist to get out of the water but the Dolphin Centre told me they were unable to meet his needs," said Gerald, aged 46, who lives in Redditch.

"His condition is getting worse. Swimming gives him enjoyment and enables him to exercise his arms and legs.

"There seems to be a lot of ignorance about the Disability Discrimination Act, which became law last October. I would have expected a local authority to show a lead," he added.

Gerald usually takes Tom swimming in Redditch but the teenager wanted to use the Dolphin Centre for a change.

"If we are affected in this way, there must be other people who have severe disabilities that are being excluded," he said.

But Robbie Hazelhurst, who is responsible for leisure services at Bromsgrove District Council, said that a £1m refurbishment at the Dolphin Centre, which is due for completion later this month, will make the facility more accessible for people with disabilities. "The refurbishment work will make it better. The council is considering what it can do to help people with very severe disabilities," he said.

Councillor Athol Deakin (Lab-Sidemoor), who speaks for the Labour group on leisure issues, said: "We are concerned about the way in which the council is dealing with accessibility for disabled people."