Professional swimmers who have gone on to compete in the Olympics have spoken out after an elite training club in Oldham has announced it has been forced to end.

Oldham Aquatics is the competitive swimming club for elite swimmers in the borough and is home to the Advanced Training Squad (ATS) which has coached youngsters from the ages of eight for the past 20 years, helping them compete in country, regional and national competitions.

This includes the clubs Oldham Seals ASC, ORCA Swimming Club, Chadderton ASC and Saddleworth Swimming Club.

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The scheme has been funded by Oldham Active (also known as Oldham Community Leisure, OCL) up until Monday (August 12) last week when the news broke that the support had been 'suddenly' withdrawn.

A spokesperson for Oldham Active said the decision was made as numbers made up "less than a third of what was required to break even".

A consultation period between the committee and Oldham Active took place over a period of six months, during which Oldham Aquatics put forward a proposal for an alternative solution in March.

However, the committee said the OCL "changed their stance and the committee were informed of the termination of the service with immediate effect on Monday".

After the meeting, the club said OCL informed "all parties" including parents "in the form of a very cold, uncaring and brief email".

The club also said the loss of the provision means its youngsters "are left with no training with immediate effect".

Their statement added: "This is obviously a big blow to sport in Oldham and our children are distraught that the normal 10 hours a week training they have dedicated themselves to will no longer happen.

"Their dreams and aspirations to compete in swimming at a high level are currently shattered by this news and we feel there is no real justification for it to end.

"It affects all our swimmers and they are all competing at a high level."

Oldham Active told The Oldham Times that the decision to end the ATS programme "was taken after careful consideration" but that the business plan presented by the committee "did not, in the opinion of OCL and the swim club representatives, meet a threshold of deliverability necessary to move it forward".

Now, swimming pros and champions who were trained through the club and even went on to compete in the Olympics have spoken out about the loss.

Jessica Lloyd, from Diggle, competed for Team GB in the women's 4x100 metre freestyle relay of the 2012 Olympics in London and for England at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 in Glasgow, where she won a silver and a bronze medal.

The then-teenager went on to trials for Rio and the British National Championships before hanging up her swimming cap at the age of 22.

The 29-year-old said she read the news that her former swim club had closed "with a heavy heart".

She added: "One of the places where my Olympic journey began is fighting to stay open.

"This club is more than just a training ground; it’s a community, a family, and was a foundational part of my life and other athletes who performed on national and international stages.

"The memories, friendships, and lessons from the Oldham Aquatic lanes will always be a part of me.

"Thank you to all the coaches, teammates, and supporters who are a part of this incredible journey and are fighting to stay open.

"Your legacy lives on through every athlete who was lucky enough to be part of this club.

"I really hope they can keep the doors open and continue to inspire future generations."

Meanwhile, Jessica Fullalove, from Oldham, competed at both junior and senior level in her swimming career and is as equally saddened by the news.

When she was a teenager, she competed in the 2013 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Dubai and competed for England at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

She then went on to represent Team GB in Nanjing for the Youth Olympic Games, where she raced in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events and the medley relay, winning three silvers in the 50m and 100m and relay events.

Later, she competed in the Commonwealth Games 2014/2018, European Championships 2018 and World Championships 2019.

Now a qualified swim teacher in London, the 28-year-old reacted to the news of the ATS closure on social media, writing: "What a shame.

"This is where my swimming journey started with John Wroe.

"If it wasn’t for ATS, I never would have progressed to county champion or even a national qualifier.

"So many memories have been made in Oldham in the 33 and 1/3 pool.

"ATS was an elite programme that was a feeder into bigger city clubs that set me up for a great international career.

"Friends have been made for life here memories made for a lifetime."

Oldham Seals ASC also said in a statement: "Whilst this situation is not what Oldham Seals ASC would have wanted for any of our swimmers, we are currently working hard as a committee to integrate our affected swimmers back into the club full time, and will be talking with those swimmers and parents affected as soon as possible to arrive at a workable solution."

Got a story? Email me Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk