LACK of lighting outside Horwich’s new leisure centre is robbing a partially sighted swimmer of his independence, says his dad.

Martin Trundle, aged 25, regularly attends the leisure centre where he is happy to be treated like any other swimmer by the staff.

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But his father, Sean Trundle, has complained about the lack of visibility in the car park which is “pitch black” at night because it has no lighting.

So Mr Trundle, whose wife is also partially-sighted, needs to walk his son from the car to the entrance using the torch on his phone.

He said: “My son loves it up there. We wouldn’t think of taking him anywhere else. But I can’t understand why the centre has been open for nearly a year and there is no adequate street lighting.

“It’s not just about my son, it’s everybody who can’t see at night.”

Martin, who is halfway through a sport development and coaching degree at the University of Bolton, is pursuing a career in swimming and has competed in the Paralympic S12 classification.

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He now has a Level 3 BTEC in sport coaching and competes in the Special Olympics.

His father said: “He wants to get a job as a swimming teacher. He can teach people and have an assistant at pool side.”

The council encourages people to use the drop-off bay outside the centre, but Mr Trundle said that it often has a car parked in it.

The 51-year-old from Breightmet has asked the leisure centre and the council to fit temporary lighting ,but says that everyone is “passing the buck”.

The new leisure centre, which opened at the end of last year, was supposed to get car park lighting a new, adjacent health centre was built, but a planning application is yet to be submitted to Bolton Council.

A council spokesman said: “We understand these frustrations and unfortunately, the health centre plans for the site which incorporate new lighting have been delayed.

“However, there is an update on the health centre at the Two Towns area forum and we’re hopeful that the plans will be progressed soon.”

Horwich and Blackrod Two Towns Area Forum is tonight at Horwich RMI at 7pm.