The family of a young West Lothian girl with a rare disability are devastated that their local pool is one of three at risk of closure.
Cost-saving plans could see Armadale, Broxburn and Livingston shut - facilities are all are accessible and used frequently by Arabella Green and her family.
The six-year-old was previously told she would “never walk” after being diagnosed with a rare joint condition, arthrogryposis, which can completely limit movement.
Ella’s dad William Green, who stays in Broxburn raised a huge amount of money to take his daughter to Poland for surgery that could give her a new lease on life.
The brave schoolgirl took her first steps last year and is striving to recover while working with doctors both in Scotland and Poland and hydrotherapy is a huge part of the process and it would be a detrimental loss to the family if their local pool was to close.
William Green: “I’m gutted not just for Ella but for many of the kids of West Lothian.
He continued: “When you look at the bigger picture, all swimming lessons are getting cancelled, OAPs getting there maybe their only routine is taken away from them.
“Now you will have the two only disabled access pools Livingston and Broxburn getting shut down.
“What is actually happening out there is unreal. We are a nation already drowning in poverty the last thing our country needs is swimming getting taken from us all. I’m in shock tonight and worried to break the news to Ella.
“I really hope they reverse this and think about the people affected.”
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