TWO women striving to stay fit were turned away from the Water Place because there were no staff to run the sessions.

Margaret Hulme, aged 63, of Callis Road, Deane, and Lilian Nealon, aged 60, of Quebec Street, Deane, were advised by their doctors to join a keep fit class to help them stay healthy.

The women, along with more than 30 other people, have been enjoying the council-run centre's deep water aerobics classes for the past few months.

But recently they have been arriving to be told there are no instructors available to run the session.

The Water Place advertises at least one session every weekday, but the ladies have found a different story at the centre. Mrs Hulme said: "We are having to ring the Water Place up every time we want to go to the water aerobics class just to check that they are actually running it on that day.

"The pool just seems to be going to waste half the time."

Both Mrs Hulme and Mrs Nealon have Bolton Metro leisure cards which allows them to use various leisure facilities around the town at a reduced rate.

The women also noted that during the half term holidays, children were hanging around the outside of the building as late as 4pm, waiting to be allowed into the centre to use the pool. A spokesman for the Water Place apologised that people had been let down because of the staffing situation at the centre. One instructor had left and two others are on long term sick leave.

He said: "Hopefully the situation will improve after next month when two of our staff who are training as instructors will begin taking classes.

"Unfortunately, not just anyone can take a class and if the instructor does not turn up, unqualified staff cannot step into their place."

The Water Place is currently running five sessions a week -- two on Tuesday and Friday lunchtimes and three evening sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The centre advises that people ring up before their journey to check if the classes are on.