DISABLED Alison Lewis is furious after campaigner Bill Purdie accused millennium pool designers of being too concerned about catering for people with disabilities.

Mr Purdie attacked plans for the new Marlow pool in our sister paper Midweek.

He said: "They're more preoccupied with groups such as mothers and babies, disabled, the elderly and non- swimmers".

His comments infuriated Alison Lewis, 47, chairman of Wycombe Area Access For All, who said: "It was like a red rag to a bull reading his comments.

"A lot of disabled people use swimming as an exercise."

Mrs Lewis, of Victoria Road, Marlow, said disabled swimmers already have difficulty using the Ruth Jewell Pool, and the new pool should address these difficulties.

She added: "Mr Purdie is lucky if he enjoys good health and mobility. There are vast numbers of the population of Marlow who do not, and it is these that we should be considering as well as the able-bodied swimmers. We should be encouraging everyone in the community to visit the new pool, not restricting it to the fit, young, able-bodied swimmers."

Alan Keen, of Gweneth Court, said: "I didn't ask to be disabled by motor neuron disease but it happened, so I fight for the rights of the disabled at every opportunity."

Mr Purdie said: "I think the disabled people and the elderly have got a case, but I do not think any one group should dominate. It has got to be shared." PIC - Furious: Alison Lewis says the millennium pool should address disabled access problems

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