SIR – While we must all be delighted that David Lightowler (CoStA) is delighted with the prospect of a new eight-lane, 25-metre pool at Westminster Lodge for his competition/gala swimmers (Herts Advertiser, November 12) I wonder where the absence of the

SIR - While we must all be delighted that David Lightowler (CoStA) is delighted with the prospect of a new eight-lane, 25-metre pool at Westminster Lodge for his competition/gala swimmers (Herts Advertiser, November 12) I wonder where the absence of the flumes and diving boards leaves the fun/family swimmer. The answer is, I suspect, nowhere.

Without water features this latter group will find an eight-lane, 25-metre pool rather dull.

Over the past 20 years, St Albans has been well served by the features at the Lodge and the flume at Bricket Wood. Now it appears all are being abandoned.

We are told in the Herts Advertiser that these are "out of fashion" or "the demand for diving boards is too low" yet when I have visited the pool on a Sunday morning or school holiday afternoons when these have opened for an hour there is normally a queue of around 20 youngsters/parents waiting to get on them.

Often in that hour you spend five minutes queuing for a 20-second ride/jump/dive.

I do hope those that are charged with making these decisions understand that if you take the fun out of these sessions then you will also be taking the people out of them.

STEPHEN MAY

Bricket Wood