Pupils being taught to swim at a private pool in Baildon will be left floundering when the business closes next month.

The Aqua Academy at Old Langley Lane in Baildon has been forced to announce a February closure after planning restrictions meant the business would no longer be viable.

But manager Di Whitaker and instructor Coz Tantrum hope the shut-down will be temporary as new premises are being sought.

Commercial swimming lessons began two years ago in the pool at Mrs Whitaker's home.

At the time there were only 13 pupils and although Mrs Whitaker sorted out insurance and health and safety requirements she said she did not consider applying to Bradford Council for a change of use of the pool.

But when lessons and pupil numbers swelled she realised she would need to alert the Council to the booming business.

The application was rejected following a series of objections from neighbours and the council's doubts about access and parking.

A suggestion of changing the lesson times to stagger traffic was made by Bradford Council, but Mrs Whitaker said the business could not stay afloat with such a scheme. She said: "In hindsight I should have got it from the off, but in the beginning it was only a small business. I understand why they have turned down permission. But what they have suggested doesn't make the business viable."

Mrs Whitaker said many of the pupils could not be taught in a public pool, or where other swimmers were also in the baths. Aqua Academy specialises in teaching children and babies, people with disabilities and adult learners. For many of the lessons qualified instructor Miss Tantrum inspires confidence by joining swimmers in the pool.

"We have children who have Aspergers or autism. Basically we are really upset that we are letting the children down," Mrs Whitaker said.

Many of the lessons are one-to-ones, and each lesson takes no more than six pupils at a time. "Keeping numbers low makes it comfortable in the water by giving plenty of space to each pupil and it helps with parking by keeping vehicles off adjoining roads," she said.

Mrs Whitaker said the popularity of the pool peaked last year with 220 pupils and 50 on the waiting list. The duo are now on the lookout for a pool suitable to utilise as an Aqua Academy base.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "Many small businesses are run from home and do not need planning permission, but Aqua Academy relies on people visiting in numbers. Although an appointment system was proposed, there would be an overlap between the sessions and this would create access and potential highway safety problems for residents in Old Langley Lane."