A 70-YEAR-OLD former swimming champion has won his campaign for improved safety at Skipton's Aireville Pool after he slipped and tore ligaments in his ankle trying to get out of the water.

Geoffrey Smith, of Highcroft Way, Farnhill, claimed that the ladders to help swimmers get out at deep end of the pool were not long enough and many people struggled to use them.

Even at 6'5" Mr Smith said he could not get his foot up high enough to reach the lowest rung comfortably. On May 24 this year his foot slipped off it and became wedged between the ladder and the wall.

Mr Smith had to be chair lifted out of the pool and was diagnosed at Airedale Hospital with a bad sprain and torn ligaments in his ankle.

The former Skipton Swimming Club champion of 1946 to 1953 had a four-way heart bypass three years ago and has been following his doctor's orders by swimming once a week.

Since the accident Mr Smith has had to give up both swimming and his much loved golf, as the pain in his ankle is still too severe.

Mr Smith has been corresponding with the council asking officers to add a couple more rungs onto the ladder to safeguard swimmers who use them.

"I have spoken to dozens of people and many say that they never try to get out of the deep end as it is too dangerous.

"One lady said 'it is terrible I nearly broke my leg on it'," he said.

This week Greg Robinson head of operations at Craven District Council said despite the costs involved and the short time the pool may be open because of plans to build a new one, new steps would be installed on September 29.

Mr Robinson said there had been no other recorded incidents of this sort but he thought it was a worthwhile project to make the pool accessible to everyone.