A RESCUE package for Arthur Hill Pool that would have seen the community run the 105-year-old baths sunk like a stone as the council pushed ahead with plans to close it.

A packed and angry public gallery demanded the pool stay open until the end of the financial year.

The £30,000 stay of execution would give the community time to draw up a realistic package to keep the Victorian baths open.

Cries of 'shame' 'it's unfair' and 'Let's all go to Azerbaijan, this isn't democratic' met the council as they voted to close the much-valued pool in December, in the face of a 2,000-name petition, protest song, cards from children, and a legal challenge.

Paul Gittings, lead member for sport, moved the motion to close the pool 'with a heavy heart.'

"I'm happy to see so many people here and so many young people," he said.

"I would ask people to check their priorities when we talk about safe guarding vulnerable children against saving a community asset. This decision has to be seen in that context.

"Personally I've swum hundreds of thousands of lengths at every pool in Reading. It is because of this personal experience I'm completely dedicated to replacing outdated facilities."

Reading Borough Council had said it would cost £700,000 to bring the pool up to a serviceable standard but campaigners challenged some of the fees, including the need for lights to be installed in the historic baths.

Peter Burt addressed the council on behalf of the petitioners saying a community rescue package in April would not cost the council any further funds, "Arthur Hill pool has been open through two world wars, the great depression and the oil crisis of the 1990's, greater challenges than we face now," he said.

"The community rescue package has been used to save pools up and down the country.

"We are confident we can keep Arthur Hill open through volunteer work, individual giving and corporate funding until a new pool is open."

Rob White, leader of Reading Greens, moved a motion to keep the pool open till the end of the financial year, supported by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat opposition parties but defeated by the Labour voting block.

Continued interruptions from the public gallery angered Labour councillors as they tried to address the crowd. Frustrated Richard Davies, lead councillor for housing shouted: "It's a privilege to speak in this chamber and you don't have it." He later apologised for the outburst.

Reading Borough Council had said Arthur Hill would remain open until a replacement pool opened in Palmer Park but now say there will be up to four years without a pool in east Reading.

The council voted 29-14 in favour of closing the pool in December and selling it on the open market. If the pool is listed as a community asset then there will be a chance for the pool to be taken over by the community before the sale went ahead.