SWIMMIMG looks set to stay on the timetable at Bolton schools despite plans to drop it from the national curriculum.

Sports organisations are angry over Government moves to allow schools to ditch swimming lessons from September.

But local education chiefs plan to carry on making it easy for Bolton schools by continuing to provide free lessons.

The Amateur Swimming Association and other bodies fear heads in cash-strapped schools would be tempted to use money from swimming lessons for academic subjects such English, maths and science.

They believe many schools will stop lessons as soon as they are no longer compulsory and this will be disastrous for children's health and lead to more youngsters drowning.

But Bolton education chiefs say local schools will not be faced with such a difficult dilemma because councillors will carry on funding free swimming lessons from central funds.

Education chairman Cllr Don Eastwood pledged his commitment to the £204,000 annual programme to provide each primary child with one term of free lessons.

Two years ago the programme was reduced from two terms to one, but Cllr Eastwood said: "We made that decision very reluctantly and we do not want any further cuts.

"We will not drop swimming lessons just because they are no longer compulsory."

Education officials believe secondary schools will also keep swimming on the timetable because most of them have pools.

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