THE owners of a popular Southampton swimming pool have been left with a whopping repair bill after teenage thugs went on a wrecking spree.

Thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused when vandals broke into Shirley Swimming Pool in Kentish Road, Shirley.

A pool cleaner telephoned police after disturbing the vandals around 2am but they escaped before officers arrived.

The vandals stole the pool reception till, smashed windows, threw a photocopier into the pool, let off fire extinguishers and overturned pots of cleaning chemicals stored behind the main pool building.

Pool manager, Alfie Jenks, said the latest attack followed three other recent break-ins.

He said: "The damage and theft of the till has made it very difficult to run the business.

"We have more than 1,000 swimmers coming through our doors each week, most for lessons, and they are absolutely livid with what's happened.

"We are planning to expand the pool next year but we will also need to look at fitting new alarms, locks and CCTV cameras. Everything will have to come out of our pockets as the pool is privately owned.

"We are still working out the cost of all the damage but it will definitely run into thousands of pounds. We have a good idea who has done this but we need proof. I would encourage anyone who can help the police to catch the culprits to phone them immediately."

Shirley Swimming Pool opened in the mid 1960s and the 25m by 8m pool remains one of the most popular in the city. Many schoolchildren from west Southampton and some from other parts of the city visit the pool for lessons during the week.

Anyone who can help police with their inquires into the incident which happened in the early hours of Saturday morning should phone Shirley police station on 0845 045 4545 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.