The teaching pool and Splash Pad at Leisure at Cheltenham are currently closed.

It is expected they will remain closed for up to six weeks.

The closure follows an assessment and inspection by specialist contractors, who have confirmed there are ceiling panels containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in the closed area of the centre.

Measures will be taken to strengthen the panels to ensure the area is safe. Cheltenham Borough Council is working closely with contractors and The Cheltenham Trust to have the work completed as quickly as possible.

The rest of the building, including the main pool, changing village and diving pool, are not impacted and will continue to operate as normal.

Laurie Bell, CEO of The Cheltenham Trust, said: "We would like to apologise to our members and customers and thank them for their continued patience. Customers affected by the closure are being contacted directly and the Leisure at Cheltenham website has the updated swim programme.

"The leisure centre team has rescheduled swimming lessons and classes in the main pool, where possible, to reduce the impact on the swim programme in the teaching pool. The team has also scheduled additional soft play sessions for the centre's younger users while the Splash Pad remains closed."

Cllr Peter Jeffries, cabinet member for finance and assets at Cheltenham Borough Council, said: "We understand that the closure may cause inconvenience, however the safety of staff and the general public is our priority. The work will be completed as soon as is possible and we thank everyone for their understanding."

RAAC closed a large number of schools nationally late last year.

The leisure centre is owned by Cheltenham Borough Council and operated by The Cheltenham Trust.