Plug is pulled on free mobile swim pools

One of Boris Johnson's flagship free swimming schemes is to be suspended because of a funding shortage.

Mobile pools, used for more than 50,000 sessions in areas of London without permanent facilities since the initiative was launched last year, will be mothballed in January.

The suspension of the scheme comes only months after the Government shut its nationwide free swimming scheme for teenagers and pensioners.

The mobile pools, dubbed "sheep dips" by the Mayor, were given three-month slots at schools and leisure centres in six boroughs.

The two pools are currently in Hackney and Brent. But the scheme will be closed there because swimming chiefs cannot raise the £250,000 they need to receive the same amount from City Hall's £15.5 million Olympic sports fund, set up to boost sports participation before the 2012 Games.

If London Swimming fails to find the funds the scheme will not resume until next summer.

Meanwhile, hundreds of schoolchildren may get the chance to compete in a junior swimming gala at
the £300 million Olympic pool in February 2012, five months before the Games.